


The Fox and the Samurai

by LordCheesecake



Category: Durarara!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Body Horror, Edo Period, Emotional Trauma, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Fluff, Graphic Description of Corpses, Historical, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, More tags to be added, Multi, Orihara family bonding, Samurai!Shizuo, Shit gets graphic, Sickness, Slow Burn, Violence, Vomiting, fox spirit!Izaya, maybe smut?, ooc probably, very ooc actually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-11
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2019-10-26 02:17:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 75,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17737127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LordCheesecake/pseuds/LordCheesecake
Summary: When Shizuo, a Samurai for hire, is begged by the residents of Ikebukuro to kill the demon fox terrorizing the town, he never once expected to find the roots of a centuries-old mystery revolving the town, an ancient organization, and a fox who's moral compass was greyer than Shinra's.ORAn AU in which Shizuo is a Samurai and Izaya is a fox spirit with a bit of a mystery sprinkled here and there.





	1. Introduction - The Fox

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Hello!
> 
> So, this is my first DRRR fic ever, and I just couldn't stop thinking about doing this au! The summary probably sucks, but I hope that you guys think that the fic itself will be better!

The soft noise of twinkling leaves toiling like bells filled the air, casting dappled shadows across the small, frosted clearing. The low-hanging tree swayed softly in the icy breeze as a man busied himself beneath its overarching branches; his pale hands wiping freezing ink and pebbles off of the chipped stone statue from where it was leaning against the thin trunk.

The man's silver-tipped ears twitched slightly as a dried leaf tickled the feathery tufts of off-white fur as it tumbled to rest beside an old, beaded-red cord, braided into his dark tresses. Reaching upwards with a clean hand, the man plucked the leaf away from his ears and flicked it off to the side with a miffed expression. He poured a few scoops of icy river water across the carved rock, sharp red eyes watching diligently as the last remnants of dirt washed away as if it were never there.

Leaning back to inspect his work, the man nodded approvingly to himself before tracing the shakily-carved kanji letters lovingly and standing to brush off his _yukata_. The man pulled the threadbare garment closer over himself as a late winter breeze cut through the branches, scrunching up his nose and puffing up his tail as he slinked out from the minimal cover the thin leaves offered. He was absolutely freezing, his fingers red and raw from the cold and his toes numb and unfeeling.

"Uwah! It's so cold," he murmured, his breaths fogging into tiny white clouds as he spoke. Bare feet stepped gingerly away from the tree, he made his way to the far side of the clearing where he'd placed his 'offerings' earlier. Ever since the village found his little 'shrine' all those years ago, they had been _oh so generous_ in leaving little 'gifts' for him.

Face morphing into a scowl, the man bent down to pick through the thin pickings of poisoned dried fruit, a slab of rotting fish, and, most surprisingly-

"Sake? Well, this is certainly a first!" Uncorking the bottle, the man took a whiff, his sensitive nose breathing in the harsh tinge of alcohol with the underlying stench of something terrible. "Ah, if only it was warm," he hummed, grimacing as he contemplated whether or not to take a sip. He had been growing increasingly hungry as the days since his last meal had gone by, so taking a mouthful wouldn't hurt, right.

Bringing the cold ceramic to his parched lips, the fox took a drink.


	2. Introduction - The Samurai

The quiet singing of birds ringing sweetly through the trees met the ears of the man as his honey-gold eyes scanned the leaf-bare branches. The man smiled upon spotting several fluffed up creatures huddled comfortably together, his expression serene and, for once, not twisted into a rage-fueled scowl.

Shifting on his futon, the man leaned over to pull the blinds open more in an attempt to soak up the last of the sunset glow before they had to leave tomorrow. His most recent job had ended mere hours ago and his travelling and work companions had insisted on spending their last night out in the city's red light district, but the man had instead opted to remain in their temporary living quarters. He was never a big fan of crowded, public spaces anyways, and it would probably be safer for everyone around him if he wasn't there. After all, who wanted the Beast of Japan to show up and ruin their night.

Yawning, the man flopped back onto his futon and closed his eyes, running a hand through his oddly-coloured straw-gold hair. His parents had said that the odd hue of his hair was a gift from the gods, but he would much rather believe that his head served as a warning sign for all those around him, cautioning them to stay as far away from him as possible.

'He didn't care,' the man would tell himself, but he knew in his heart, which was far too large for a monster of his calibre, that all he wanted was someone who wasn't scared of him, and someone who he didn't need to be worried about hurting. But, Beast's weren't allowed to be happy, weren't they?

The man sighed as he pushed the evil thoughts, gnawing at him for attention, deep down into the back of his mind and reached up for a bottle of peach sake and his favourite pipe. Shuffling over to the edge of the window, he noticed that a pair of tiny puffballs sitting in the corner of the ledge, drawing in as much heat as they could. The man leaned back once more and tore off a corner of bread for the two, placing the morsel a few centimetres away from their feet. Without hesitation, the chicks hopped closer, not afraid of Shizuo in the slightest.

At least the birds liked him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty mediocre, right? Future chapters will be longer, I promise. This was just an intro, so yeah...
> 
> If y'all have any questions about this au, and I expect at least a few cuz I left things pretty vague, please ask away! I have too much lore for this stores in my head right now anyways...


	3. The desperate Kuronuma's pleas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so yesterday was a snow day where I live, so I had the whole day to write this out, but don't get your hopes up cuz updates will never be this fast ever again.
> 
> But a quick few notes on this au:  
> \- It's set in an Edo style period, but I've based a lot of things on more modern aspects. Money, for example, is named Ryo but the value is based off the actual Yen value that Japan currently has.  
> \- I tried my best to do research and make things accurate in a sense, but if I make a mistake in my research, please tell me! It's always better to base info on actual facts than experiences I have from China(I'm basing a lot of Asian experience on the fact that I'm chinese)  
> \- Vocab words will always be listed at the bottom
> 
> I hope you enjoy the chapter!

The uneven clicking of rickety wagon wheels as they traversed along the gravel path was welcoming white noise to Shizuo's ears as he hummed a gentle tune quietly to himself. The gentle rocking of the cart was lulling and calming, and from where Shizuo was sitting, it was warm and well sheltered from the biting wind.

  
Lifting his head slightly, his gaze travelled across his companions; Kadota, Saburo, Karisawa, and Yumasaki, all of whom were workers for hire dealing in rather...shady business; Shinra, an off-his-rocker doctor with a fluctuating moral code; and Celty, a kind, mute young woman they'd picked up around 3 years ago who Shinra was absolutely infatuated with. Out of everyone in their niche little group of oddballs, Celty was arguably the strangest of them all.

  
After all, headless women weren't exactly common in Japan. They had stumbled across her fallen form along the Eastern coast, headless and clueless as to how she got there. The only things she could recall was her name and her race, a strange fae-like creature called a Dullahan, whatever that was.

  
In the end, Shizuo didn't care all that much about her lacking a face to talk to. Instead, he was just glad that he'd found someone who understood what it was like to be stared like an attraction; like a monster.

  
"Oi! Celty, Shinra!" Kadota called from his spot driving the wagon beside Saburo. The two had decided to walk for a short while and stretch their restless legs. "You should probably get back into the wagon. You'll be safer up here once we hit the main road."

  
"Just where are we going again?" Shizuo groaned, ruffling his unruly locks as he shifted to sit behind Kadota.

  
"Oh, you know. Just around, I guess," Kadota replied nonchalantly. "We'll figure it out once we get to the next major road."

  
"We should probably head over to a trading centre," Saburo interjected. "We're running low on legal things to sell."

  
"Not true," whined Karisawa, bouncing up to lean beside Shizuo, Yumasaki grinning sharply behind her. "We sell service with a smile! Ne, Dota-chin?"

  
"I whole-heartedly agree!"

  
"Don't call me that."

  
As the three began to bicker, Shizuo felt a soft tap on his shoulder.

  
[Shinra was talking about going back to his hometown. He said that it was a trading city, so we could pick up supplies and find work there.]

  
Shizuo shrugged. "I guess we could. Where did Shinra even grow up anyway?" Honestly, he pitied everyone that had been exposed to Shinra's special brand of crazy.

  
"Ikebukuro!"

  
"Never heard of it," Shizuo grunted.

  
"Seriously? It's a pretty popular place for all kinds of business. Surely you've heard of it at least once before?"

  
"Nope."

  
"Ma, Shizuo-kun. You really need to brush up on your geography. Have you really not been there before? Or have you just forgotten about it?" Shinra tuttered, much to Shizuo's growing annoyance.

  
"That's actually a good option," Saburo supplied quickly, grabbing a worn-looking map from his side. "It's a pretty big trading hub near the capital, so most roads will lead there. Plus, there'll probably be some pretty good work to find there too. Kadota?" he turned to the man beside him.

  
"That's actually a good idea," he hummed, looking over the route with Saburo. "Have you really never been here, Shizuo?"

  
"I don't like crowded places," Shizuo muttered.

  
[We can have our first visit there together, then.] Celty wrote. Shizuo smiled and grunted in agreement; Celty always knew just what to say to calm his ever-buzzing nerves.

  
"No fair!" Shinra whined, throwing his arms around the headless woman. "I want this trip to be special for _us_! _Just us_! This will be the first time taking my lover back home with me!"

  
"Urgh, Shut up, Shinra!" Growling irritably, Shizuo hopped out of the wagon. His fuse was short enough as it was, and Shinra's whining was threatening to spark his temper. "I'm gonna walk for a bit," he grumbled, pulling out his _Kiseru_ from the sleeve of his _Haori_ and taking a slow drag of smoke. Letting out a slow breath, Shizuo steeled his mind the best he could. This, like every other excursion they'd had, would be a very long trip.

 

* * *

 

  
" _Kampai_!" everyone cheered as they clinked their glasses together. The group had made their way along the winding main road to a little roadside inn to spend the night. Now, they sat bundled up in their cosy traditional room with sake warming their veins and the inn-provided food filling their bellies. Shizuo, Celty, and Shinra sat on one side, while Kadota, Saburo, Karisawa, and Yumasaki sat opposite to them.

  
Stretching languidly across the tatami mats, Shizuo yawned and blinked lazily to Shinra.

  
"I already _told_ you;" he began, emphasizing his words with his hands in an effort to finally get Shinra to understand. ", I've never been to Ikebukuro. Ever. At all. Not even once"

  
"But isn't that where you met Kadota-kun?" Shunra huffed.

  
"No. I met them when they were doing business in Sendai. And even if then, I've only been travelling with them for 4 years."

  
"But doesn't work as a for-hire samurai entail that you go to trade cities at least once in a while? You should at least know about the place. Right, my dearest Celty?" Shinra's tone instantly moved from condescending to adoring, making Shizuo want to snap his beloved pipe in half.

  
[Calm down, Shizuo.] Celty wrote, hitting Shinra roughly over the back of his head to push him off. [In a way, his curiosity makes sense, though. Why have you never gone to Ikebukuro? Work would be easier to find there than wandering around out here, right?]

  
"I guess it would...But once people realize who I am, they get nervous." Shizuo ran a hand through his hair self-consciously. Word of a Golden-haired samurai-for-hire, with unrivalled strength and a terrifying temper spread rather quickly through Japan. "I don't want to scare anyone..."

  
"Well then, you're in luck!" Shinra chirped, completely ignoring the tense atmosphere. "No one in Ikebukuro could possibly be scared of you. They have their own demons, after all."

  
"So the stories I've heard are true then!" Yumasaki's thin eyes narrowed in delight. "There is a demon in Ikebukuro!"

  
[Demon?!]

  
"Really!" Karisawa came bounding over, cheeks flushed with alcohol and eyes sparkling.

  
Shinra nodded with fake seriousness. "That's right. A terrifying Demon Fox from _Yomi-no-Kuni_!"

  
Yumasaki leaned forward excitedly, "I heard that it killed half the village 200 years ago."

  
"Ma, Yumasakicchi," Karisawa whined. "You're thinking about the Demon Fox from _Naruto_ , stupid!"

  
"Not half the village, but the elders say that it killed at least 2 little girls, back when the Demon was still in its glory days!"

  
Kadota was torn between letting out a sigh of relief for Shinra re-directing the conversation or groaning loudly into his bandana. Saburo patted him on the back supportively.

  
"Shinra, stop encouraging them," Kadota said. "They'll be up all night talking about this now."

  
"But Dota-shin, it's interesting. Stop shitting on our fun!" Karisawa slurred.

  
Kadota lifted his hands in surrender. "I'm _just saying_ , the last time _I_ was there, I saw _no evidence_ other than a few stories about this alleged Demon Fox."

  
"Plus, the village monopolizes on the Demon's existence," Saburo shifted his hand to pick the final mouthful of rice out of his bowl. "They have merchandise for the damn thing. It's probably not even real, and they just use the story to make money," he popped the morsel into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. ", I know I would."

  
[Shinra's just being a fear monger.] Celty stated confidently. [He's probably just trying to scare us.]

  
"S'probably just some old wives tale," Shizuo agreed.

  
"Doesn't mean it's not _interesting_!" Yumasaki proclaimed, delightedly joining Shinra and Karisawa in screeching about Demon Fox's and ancient murders.

  
"You just don't understand, Shizuo-kun." Shinra shifted his head to stare Shizuo in the eye. "You've just never seen it before..." Shizuo rolled his eyes at the drunk doctor's attempt to intimidate him.

  
"Even if I did, I'd probably be able to take it on just fine," Shizuo said gruffly. "The stupid thing can't be that terrible." Plus, if it did exist, Shizuo would have no trouble killing it. It wouldn't be human, after all.

  
"Kyaa! How scary!" Karisawa crowed, wrapping her arms around Yumasaki in her delirium. "Maybe we'll see the Demon Fox and you'll fall in loooove..."

  
The voices around the table grew louder; a symphony of groans, giggles, and god-awful screeching.

  
[Do you want to come with me to check on Shooter?] Celty asked, pulling him away from the mindless giggles coming from the opposite side of the table.

  
"I thought you'd never ask," Shizuo swiftly sat up from his sitting position at the low table, giving Saburo and Kadota a mocking salute and mouthing a quick ' _good luck_ ' before following Celty's dark form out of the house.

  
Upon nearing the stables, Shooter, Celty's odd-looking black and white horse, stood from his kneeling position, nestled between long straws of hay.

  
If Celty had a face, she would no doubt be smiling ear to ear as the horse nuzzled her hand and knickered softly. Shizuo stood slightly off to the side, watching Celty's fingers trace the near-perfect line along Shooter's neck separating the midnight fur from his neck down from the snow white fur of his head. It was almost as if Shooter, like his rider, was headless.

  
[Ne, Shizuo?] Shizuo blinked in the low light as he deciphered Celty's words. [You don't think...the Fox Demon, whatever it is, is real, right?]

  
"Oi, don't tell me you actually believe the bullshit they were spouting," Shizuo stared for a minute before bursting out laughing, his voice ringing high and clear through the cold night.

  
[It's not funny!] Celty wrote indignantly. [If there's actually a Demon where we're going, what if something bad happens? What if it tries to eat us, or carry us into the night!]

  
"You're reading way too many of Yumasaki's horror novels," he gasped between rounds of laughter. Celty crossed her arms over her chest, one hand moving to fiddle with the hem of her _Hakama_. When Shizuo's sniggering finally died down, his expression turned serious. "Wait, are you seriously scared?" Celty nodded as best she could. "C'mon. So far we've managed to handle everything thrown at us, right? What's some dumb, probably not even real, Fox gonna do to us, yeah?" Shizuo could admit that he wasn't the greatest at comforting words, but from the way Celty's shoulder's relaxed slightly, he could tell that he'd made at least a bit of an impact.

  
[Urgh, I guess I just can't help but worry a bit]

  
Shizuo flashed her a grin as Shooter pushed his muzzle into Celty's shoulder in a comforting way. "Like I said, what's some shitty Fox gonna do to us?"

 

* * *

 

 

"Raarwh!" The slim-faced fox suddenly popped up into Shizuo's view, dark, red-lined features twisted into a feral snarl while a guttural roar echoed within its throat. Shizuo was not amused.

  
"Shinra..." he growled, swiping out a hand to knock the ceramic mask off the doctor's stupid face. Shinra fumbled a bit with the mask, catching it before the mask shattered on the smooth paved road beneath their feet.

"Shizuo-kun, be careful! I could've dropped that!"

"Stop wasting money," he hissed.

They'd made their way into the busy trading hub that was Ikebukuro, and within one hour of entry, Shizuo had learned that:

  
1\. As he expected, most people were _terrified_ upon seeing him. Understandable, but still hurtful.

  
2\. The place was far more crowded than any other city or district that Shizuo had ever been in in his life. Shizuo himself had grown up in a small village located near Aomori, and even throughout his travels, he'd never once been in a place as populated with people as Ikebukuro. There were stores and vendors populating every corner they passed, selling all types of things including food, candy, trade goods, and clothing. Shizuo even spotted an old woman sitting in a rickety wooden chair sewing detailed embroidery flowers into a pink-lavender _Haori_ with a similar pattern to his own.

  
And finally, 3. The city did, in fact, monopolize on the Demon Fox's story and existence. While walking along the first few roads in the city, Shizuo already spotted 2 street vendor selling clay masks, sugar candies, and charms to ward off evil spirits. It seemed as if Saburo was right; these people were making merchandise.

  
Following that third discovery, Shinra, Karisawa, and Yumasaki all took it upon themselves to waste their money and buy practically everything they were selling. They'd even managed to lure Kadota and Saburo into there schemes; Kadota eyeing the products warily yet curiously, and Saburo chatting up the old man behind the stand, asking how well business was here.

  
"But Shizu-Shizu! This is fun! Don't you want a charm to ward off demons!" She thrust a small wooden pendant painted in bright colours into his face. Behind her, Celty already had 2 in her hand and was quickly fastening one of them onto Shooter's bridle.

  
"No. I don't need it."

  
"What about a sugar painting?" Yumasaki asked, temptingly holding out a stick of golden sugar that was, sure enough, painted into the shape of a snarling twin-tailed fox. Shizuo bit his lip. _He was getting hungry_...

  
"Fine," he muttered snatching the stick out of Yumasaki's hand and snapping a tail with his teeth. "But just cuz it's candy." The others grinned cheekily at him, but Kadota called them over before they had time to open their mouths.

  
"Yo! We still need to find an inn to stay at for the time being. Sabura says we should stay here for at least a week to get supplies."

  
"Do we have anywhere planned out yet?" Shizuo asked. Kadota shook his head.

  
"How hard can it be to find housing somewhere as populated as this place?"

  
As it turns out, housing was, in fact, very hard to find. Many inns weren't at all cheap, costing more than what they had on hand at the moment, and many places weren't too keen on hosting the Beast of Japan or the strange woman wearing a heavy steel helmet at all times with little effort. In short, they were essentially screwed.

  
"Fret not, everyone. A lot of people here just sleep in their shops! I'm sure we'll find an inn somewhere!" Shinra said cheerfully. "If worse comes to worst, you guys can sleep with the cart while my beloved Celty and I find an inn-OW OW OW! IM SORRY!" Shinra let out a shriek as Kadota pinched his ears hard.

  
Ticked off by all the screaming and the rumble of hunger growing in his stomach, Shizuo decided that, for now, staying with the group was less than ideal. Shrugging his shoulders, Shizuo turned a corner and walked out of sight. He'd be able to sniff them later and find them, and hopefully, by then, they would find somewhere to stay for the night.

  
The sights and smells of sizzling meat, grilled vegetables, and fresh-pounded mochi filled Shizuo's senses as he let his stomach guide the placement of his feet. Shizuo jingled the coins in his wallet, feeling around for the value as he eyed each stall, finally coming to a stop in front of a small storefront selling sweets and dried fruits.

  
"Um..." he called rather awkwardly to the two boys chattering behind the stand. Rather than turning to him, they continued conversing, completely ignoring Shizuo's presence. He managed to catch the final bit of their conversation.

  
"And then, Saki and I threw the inkpot, and it splashed all over the damn thing!" One of them crowed, much to his friend's amusement. "Yeah! We saw the whole shrine get doused with the stuff! And, then, we-" Before the boy could open his mouth to keep talking, Shizuo cleared his voice loudly, effectively catching their attention.

  
"How much for the dried persimmons?"

  
The louder of the two boys clicked his tongue. "There's a sign right here, ossan."

  
Shizuo frowned. _Did this brat..._ "Oi, kid! Your sign's gone."

  
The boy peered over the side to where the persimmons were on display. "Oh. 200 Ryo each."

  
Shizuo's frown deepened. "200 Ryo? Isn't that a bit much?"

  
"We dry them specially, ossan. If you want the best quality, you gotta buy for a higher price," the boy insisted, much to his companion's chagrin as he mumbled a soft 'Masaomi-kun...'

  
"Didn't anyone teach you to respect your elders, brat," Shizuo's eyes narrowed. Though he would never hurt a kid, this brat was really pushing his buttons. "How much for 5."

  
"1000 Ryo."

  
"Tch." Rifling through his wallet, Shizuo managed to fish out just enough money for 5 over-priced persimmons. "Here." Grabbing a bundle of 5, Shizuo left the stall, adamant on forgetting the brat's attitude, until-

  
"Ah, what a poor old man, don't you think, Mikado?" his high-pitched voice ringing loudly. "He couldn't even perform basic arithmetic. Maybe I should've given him a discount or something."

  
"Masaomi-kun!"

  
The boy, Masaomi, let out an exaggerated sigh, intent on getting to Shizuo's nerves. "Too bad for him."

  
Now, if there's once thing Shizuo hated more than violence, it was people talking down to him. He absolutely hated it.

  
"Oi! Listen here, kid," he began, face twisting into an enraged scowl as he stormed back to the stall. He could instantly tell the moment the two boys realized who he was; eyes sharpening to focus and filling with panic. Before he could get any closer to berate the preteens, though, an old woman came hobbling out from the back, wrinkled features set to confusion as her dark eyes focused on the boys.

  
"Masaomi-kun! Mikado-kun" she shrilled, her voice cracking with age. "Stop causing a ruckus! Masaomi-kun! Run the stand properly! Mikado-kun! Keep Masaomi-kun in line!" she lectured at them before turning to face Shizuo. "Ah, welcome to Kida Sweets."

  
"Um, obaasama, h-he's already purchased."

  
"Eh?"

  
"Y-Yeah," Masaomi shot up from his seat to lean over by her sensitive ears. "He's the Beast of Japan!" he whispered none too quietly, and Shizuo frowned in response. "We need to be _very careful_!"

  
"What?"

  
"Kuronuma-obaasan, he's that samurai I was telling you about during dinner a few nights ago. Remember?" The other boy, seemingly soft-spoken and shy, stood from his spot to gently take the woman's hands.

  
Shizuo could only stand awkwardly, persimmons in hand, as the look on the woman's face morphed from confusion to elated surprise.

  
"Really! Ah, it's wonderful to meet you!" she shuffled forward and leaned over in a bow. "My family and I have been greatly awaiting your arrival."

  
"Um, that's...nice? Why, exactly, were you waiting for me again?" They spoke as if they knew he was coming and actually _wanted_ him to come.

  
"Ah, everything can be explained later!" Cheerfully, the woman hobbled over to grab Shizuo by the hand, her grip remarkably strong for someone her age. "Come, come. You will be staying at our estate for the time being. Come along, Mikado."

  
"Yes, obaasan."

  
"Wait wait wait," Shizou held up his hands. "I'm really sorry, but I can't go with you."

  
The look of confusion on the woman's face returned. "Why not, samurai-kun."

  
"I have travelling companions, and I need to meet back up with them. I don't know who you are, or what is happening right now," he said slowly, hoping the woman would let him go so he could be on his way and forget this exchange ever happened.

  
"Please," and much to Shizuo's surprise and horror, the woman bent down into a begging position. "We desperately need your help." Glancing around nervously at all the curious stares they were getting, several adults shaking their heads at Shizuo while children stopped to stare. Masaomi's eyes were practically bulging out of his head, mouth opened in shock.

  
"Shizuo-kun! There you are!" Shizuo almost groaned out loud as he heard Shinra scurry up to them, the doctor panting hard as he slowed from his mild jog to an out-of-breath walk. "Don't just disappear like that!"

  
"Uh, yeah."

  
"So, why is Kuronuma obaasan kneeling in front of you?"

  
"Uh...I think I found a job and a place to stay.

 

* * *

 

 

The dark forest-jade green of the tea-warmed teacup in Shizuo's hand was expertly painted with long brush strokes, imitating the long, papery leaves of bamboo stalks. Setting the cup down gently, he turned his attention back to the small horde that was the Kuronuma family, flanking the elderly woman he'd met at the sweets stand.

  
As it turned out, she was the head of the family, sitting just above her son in terms of power. Mikado, the soft-spoken boy from earlier sat beside his grandmother, eerie steel-blue eyes glinting with an off-kilter glow.

  
"Will she please remove her helmet in this room," Kuronuma-obaasan said coldly, fixing Celty with a scrutinizing gaze. "This room is sacred to us."

  
"I apologize, Kuronuma-obaasan, but she cannot," Shinra said firmly, taking Celty's hand in his own. "We would be happy to leave for now, though."

  
The old woman sniffed, a thin hand reaching up to adjust the glittering stone pin in her wispy grey hair. "Fine. But I'll have her know that it is _extremely_ rude to wear a piece of headgear in this room because of what I'm about to tell you!" Shizuo resisted the urge to crush the intricate cup in his hand to smithereens at her words.

  
The woman sighed irritably. "My name is Kuronuma Izumii, and this is my grandson, Ryuugamine Mikado." she didn't bother introducing the rest of her kin around her.

  
' _Ryuugamine_?' Shizuo thought. ' _Shouldn't_ _he_ _be_ _a Kuronuma_?'

  
The room remained bathed in awkward silence until Kadota, ever the responsible one set his own down and flashed Kuronuma-obaasan a polite, albeit strained, smile. "So, Kuronuma-obaasan, what exactly is this job that you want Shizuo to take on?"

  
Almost instantly, the crowd around the plush couth stiffened and made their way out of the room.

  
"Uh..." Shizuo began, the start of a frown making its way onto his features.

  
"Don't mind them," Kuronuma-obaasan huffed. "They simply don't respect the significance of our heritage, nor do they understand my need to seek justice."

  
"Justice against what?"

  
"The Demon Fox of Ikebukuro." All eyes turned to Mikado; the only member of the family that had remained where they were. "For the past 4 decades, our family have been looking for capable people to kill the Demon Fox."

  
Shizuo cleared his throat, considering his words wisely before they left his mouth. "Forgive my...brashness, but isn't the Demon Fox just...a...story?" his voice trailed off into an unintelligible mutter as Kuronuma-obaasan fixed him with a fierce glare.

  
"Don't let people convince you that the Fox isn't real!" the woman insisted. "The Kuronuma family knows first hand of the atrocities committed by that damn Fox!"

  
"Obaasan. They're clearly confused. How about you start from the beginning?" Mikado asked gently, and Kuronuma-obaasan nodded.

  
"Very well. Surely you have heard of the Demon Fox that lives beneath the forests of Mt. Fuji, yes?" The group nodded. "Well, the Fox is real! It's true! Those idiotic vendors selling items in the Demon's name poison the name of Kuronuma and all that we stand for against the Fox! In a way, them selling products validates the Fox's sinful existence!"

  
Sensing their Confusion, Mikado decided to jump in. "My great-great-grandfather, Kuronuma Aoba, sparked a movement against the Fox once the Demon murdered 2 of his lovers. Ever since then, the population of Ikebukuro stood against the Fox, but recently, people have begun to take advantage of the Fox's story and selling it as an urban legend."

  
"Hold on," Shinra said. "It's true that the Fox actually killed two girls?"

  
"Of course it's true," Kuronuma-obaasan sniffed. "That damn Fox has always been a bad omen. The Fox feeds lies into the hearts of vulnerable children as they got lost along trading routes! Poisoning their mind with false stories and dangerous myths! Those girls used to play in the forest. It was inevitable that they would fall into the Fox's grasp.

  
"It's attacked our Western border, too!" she gasped, withered hands shaking with anger. "I've seen it many times! It breaks in in a rampage, destroying everything and stealing whatever it can get its greedy little claws on! It's attacked people along trade roads, so we've had no choice but to burn down parts of the forest!"

  
Shizuo frowned as all the information cascaded upon him. "You had to burn the forest?"

  
"Yes! We've tried starving it away from Ikebukuro, but it never leaves! It's a menace!"

  
"Obaasan..." Mikado murmured, wrapping an arm around his grandmother's shoulder. "Please calm down. He will help us get rid of the Fox," sharp eyes turned to Shizuo. "Won't you, Heiwajima-sam?"

  
Shizuo felt utterly conflicted. On one hand, he sympathized greatly with the whole city. Dealing with this so-called Demon Fox, who terrorized the town to the point where they had to burn down a whole section of forest, all the time must be exhausting.

  
But on the other hand, Shizuo had to admit that the woman's claims were crazy. Practically Shinra-level crazy.

  
"How often does the Fox break in?" he asked quietly, debating internally whether or not he should keep talking or just shut up and decline while he still had time.

  
"Not too often," Mikado said. "Maybe every twice a year?" ' _That was still a lot_ ', Shizuo thought.

  
"And what have you done in the past to get rid of it?"

  
"We've done everything." Kuronuma-obaasan sounded utterly exhausted. "In the past, we've hired mercenaries, guards, samurai, priests, and exorcists, but none of them were successful. They all left within a week of trying," she bemoaned, clutching her steaming cup tightly in her hands. "Even now, there's little we can do. We've tried starving it, poisoning offerings, smoking it out, but nothing has worked."

  
"That's why we were hoping you would help us, Heiwajima-san," Mikado continued, bowing his head. "With your strength, we could finally be rid of the Fox once and for all. Please. We beg of you."

 

* * *

 

 

Steam hovered warm and heavy over the bath's surface, mimicking thick fog as it rolled lazily throughout the onsen.

  
"Uwah! I didn't know the Kuronumua's had a _bath_ so close to their estate!" Shinra sighed, stretching beneath the surface of the water with his toes just barely grazing Shizuo's leg. "Such is the life of the upper class!"

  
"Shinra," Shizuo ground out, cupping water into his hand and running it over his face. "Please shut up."

  
"Ah, sorry."

  
Shizuo had been groaning and sighing ever since the conversation with Kuronuma-obaasan and Mikado, mulling over whether or not to do anything. From what Shizuo understood, either two things could happen:

  
He would either find an actual Demon Fox and kill the thing, or he would find that nothing was real, the Kuronuma's were just goading him on, and that he would be trapped helping the Kuronuma's kill an imaginary Fox for the rest of his life. Shinra had warned him that Kuronuma-obaasan held on to most of her workers, and many previously hired people were driven away by her controlling personality, and Shizuo didn't want to be tied down here.

  
But if this Fox was real and he declined, he could be putting people's lives in danger, and Shizuo wouldn't be able to live with himself if his decision ended up hurting or killing people. _Urgh, he was never good at making important decisions._

  
"You know you can always refuse, Shizuo," Kadota said, some of the calm in his voice bleeding into Shizuo. "There's always other work to be found elsewhere and without the Kuronuma's on your back."

  
"Yeah, Shizuo-kun. I hate to say it, but the Kuronuma family's filled with...off people. More off than me, even!" Shinra claimed, his voice genuinely serious. "Plus, even if you take the job, and the Fox is real, I don't think you'd be able to go through killing it."

  
"And why is that?"

  
"Your heart is too big for something like that. Even if it's a menace to the people here, you wouldn't be able to kill it." Shizuo groaned for the nth time in ten minutes. Holding his breath, he sunk his head beneath the water's surface, feeling warm water encompass his entire being and muffle the world around him.

  
_'Ok, what if I did Pros versus Cons._

  
_'Pros: There's good, stable pay in doing this plus a nice place to live, I could potentially be helping many people in killing this Demon, or whatever else might be terrorizing the town and the burden on Kuronuma-obaasan's shoulder's would be lifted._

  
_'Cons: I might get trapped in helping the Kuronuma family for the rest of my life, but knowing Karisawa and Yumasaki, they'd be able to help weasel me out of it, and that was really it. There were no outstanding cons to not helping out, I guess.'_

  
His head smoothly resurfaced the water and Shizuo shook water from his eyes.

  
"You come to a decision yet?"

  
"You were down there for a while! Can I measure your lung capacity when this is over?"

"I'm going to help them," he said, his gaze set and his eyes confident. "What's the harm, anyway?" Kadota gave him a trusting smile while Shinra whined about being ignored. But for now, Shizuo didn't have to worry.

  
He started work tomorrow.

 

* * *

 

 

The Fox's rubbed his nose with the back of his hand. The incessant tickle quickly morphed into a full-on sneeze as the fox sniffled into the sleeve of his Yukata. Shivering, the Fox pulled his tail closer to his thin body, covering his hands and feet from the blistering chill of midnight.

  
Letting out another sneeze into the cool air, the Fox couldn't help but smile softly to himself.

  
'Maybe someone's talking about me!'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haori - A hip-length kimono style jacket. Think the blue jacket that Tsugaru wears
> 
> Yukata - A thinner, lighter cotton kimono usually worn during summer
> 
> Sugar painting - A 'painting' made of melted sugar on a stick. I had these the last time I visited family back in China, and while they're generally just there to look pretty, they're edible too.  
> What it looks like - https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/443956475737858793/
> 
> Kiseru - A Japanese style pipe. Again, think Tsugaru's pipe
> 
> Kampai - Cheers
> 
> Obaasan - A formal way to say Grandma
> 
> Tatami - A formal Japanese floor covering made of straw
> 
> Yomi-no-Kuni - The Japanese land of the dead, sort of like hell
> 
> Hakama - Traditional Japanese trousers, usually worn by men
> 
> Ossan - Basically means 'old man'
> 
> If I missed anything, Sorry! Also! I'm pretty shit at formatting, so if something seems off, please tell me!
> 
> Also, Subscribe to Pewdiepie


	4. The Enigmatic Fox and the Temperate Samurai

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok! Next chapter out within literally 72 hours! I have too much time to waste on this, don't I!
> 
>  NOTE!!! VOMIT AND SICKNESS WARNING IN THIS CHAPTER!!!
> 
> Hope you enjoy the chapter!

For the next 48 hours, Shizuo devoted all of his time preparing for his 'Greatly important task to slay the Demon Fox', as Kuronuma-obaasan referred to it. He was given a brief rundown on the geography of the area, including a small, hand-drawn map marking the edges of the burnt territory with an 'X' marked in bolded red ink.

  
"This is where the Fox's shrine is," Mikado tapped the marked spot. "That's the most probable place that the Demon will be." Flipping over the square of paper, Mikado pointed to a weathered drawing. "This was drawn about 23 years ago by an exorcist we had come by," he said, handing the picture and map to Shizuo.

  
Whoever had drawn the image was clearly skilled, judging by the clean, weighted lines of dark black ink flowing over the page. The picture showed a side-profile of what looked to be a man, crouching on all fours, his face elongated into a muzzle-like shape with a mouth that split further past his cheeks to reveal sharp, ivory white teeth. Twin-tails lashed out from behind the beast, whipping a storm in its wake beyond the man's haunches. Elongated feet and fingers adorned with black claws dug deep into the dirt while the man's ears, long and tufted, lay flat against its head. It was a truly terrifying sight.

  
Shizuo had also been given a freshly sharpened sword, hand-crafted with the perfect curve running along the blade. The polished sheath it came with had dark kanji engraved into it, spelling out 'the saviour of Ikebukuro'.

  
"I can't take this," he insisted when Kuronuma-obaasan unsheathed the blade. "My own sword does well enough on its own."

  
"That dull thing," she sniffed, giving the blade at Shizuo's side a sneer. "Do you not see the cracks in that thing? You'll never be able to kill the damn Demon if your sword breaks on you." She pushed the smooth handle into his palm, fitting it snugly into his grip. "Here, take it as a symbol of our gratitude for what you are doing, Heiwajima-kun." The earnest look in her eyes made it impossible for Shizuo to refuse, so he strapped the new katana next to his old one along the obi of his white _kimono_. It was almost funny looking at the two katana's side by side. The harsh contrast between the dulled sheathed and the freshly polished one almost made Shizuo self-conscious of his poor appearance as a 'samurai'.

  
Then again, he technically wasn't one. He was more of a _ronin_ if anything. Shizuo was never given formal training in the art of a sword, nor did he live by the Code of the Samurai. He mainly just relied on his brute strength to barrel through obstacles he came upon in his work. It was actually just a mistake made as information passed through Japan, with someone claiming that there was a 'samurai-for-hire with wheat gold hair running through Japan'.

  
Now, armed with a new weapon and a small, grinning fox charm (A gift from Celty that he couldn't refuse despite how idiotic it was), Shizuo boarded the wagon, along with Mikado, Kadota, Saburo, and Shinra. The forest border was relatively close to the Kuronuma estate, but since the winter chill had yet to un-sink its claws from the land, Celty and Kuronuma-obaasan insisted that he come back during the night; to warm up and refresh for the next day. Shizuo thought it was rather tedious, but if it reassured his friends, he didn't care.

  
[Be safe, Shizuo! Don't let any Demon get you, ok?] Celty wrote, her letters big and bolded enough so he would be able to see it further along the road.

  
"I'll be fine." Shizuo smiled warmly. "This'll all be over by next week."

  
"Remain cautious, Heiwajima-kun!" Kuronuma-obaasan hobbled over so her hand grazed the wood of the cart. "The Fox is intelligent, and will no doubt try to invade your mind and let its evil run through you! Do not let it manipulate you!"

  
Leaning down, "Do not worry, obaasan. I will try my hardest to help you and your family. That is a promise." Giving a final wave, the carriage set off towards the Western border wall, the last few well-wishes carrying through the air to Shizuo's ears.

  
"You sure you ready for this, Shizuo?" Kadota asked quietly when they made it into the bustle of the city centre. "There's no harm in backing out. It seems...more dangerous than your usual scene, you know?" Shinra nodded fervently beside Kadota, his speckled face glowing with concern.

  
"I told you the Kuronuma's are masters of manipulation," Shinra whispered, just high enough for Shizuo to hear but not Mikado, who was directing Saburo along the busy road. "They could very well be trying to trap you in their service so they have an insanely strong protector with them at all times. I mean, even when I was living here, the 'Fox' only attacked maybe twice. And even then, it was probably just a bunch of wolves or bears lured in by the smells of food!"

  
"Even so, I've agreed to help them," Shizuo's hand moved to caress the smooth sheath of his blade, trailing his fingers along the engraved words. "I might as well try." The two quieted after that.

  
As the wagon moved from the bustling town square, Shizuo noticed that, as they moved further west, there were fewer and fewer people lining the streets. Vendors and carts became few and far between and houses and buildings before them seemed ghostly and abandoned.

  
"It was never this bad before..." Shinra gasped.

  
"Over the years, the Fox's activity has gotten worse," Mikado said. "Kuronuma-obaasan seems to believe it is because it is nearing the 200th anniversary of the girls' deaths."

  
Within a few minutes, the cart came to a stop in front of a large, cobblestone wall. Well, parts of a wall, for a huge, domineering hole was now in its place. It looked as if several bricks had been forcibly torn from the structure, deep score marks littering the outer edges. Shizuo ran a finger across the scratches, feeling the divets and imagining the force behind the being that created them. Beyond the wall lay a darkened world, black with soot and ash that clung to the forest floor; remnants of the fires that raged through it.

  
"Damn," he breathed.

  
"Here is as far as I can take you, Heiwajima-san," Mikado hopped out of the wagon. "We will await your return back at the estate. Remember that once you kill the Fox, my grandmother wants the tails of the beast cut off and brought to her," he reminded gently. Craning his head so their eyes met, "I wish you the best of luck and safety, Heiwajima-san."

  
"Ah," Shizuo bowed respectfully. "The job will be finished in no time."

  
"Stay safe, Shizuo!"

  
"Don't die before I can dissect you!"

  
And with that, Shizuo turned and stepped into the forest. 

* * *

 A harsh gale of wind shook the charred trees and chilled Shizuo's skin as it blew through the thickly-woven cotton fibres of his white _kimono_ , no doubt greying with the amount of ash settling on it. Mikado had said that they last burned the place around New Years in an attempt to purge the spirit away from Ikebukuro.

  
Sword in hand, Shizuo made his way through the forest, venturing deeper with the guidance of his map.

  
' _Urgh_ ,' he thought, covering his nose with his elbow. ' _What the fuck stinks_?' The putrid scent of something rotting mixed with days old trash that had been mingling in the heat of summer was beginning to invade the smells of the forest. ' _Maybe it's the Fox,_ ' Shizuo mused, cursing lightly as another wave of stench washed over him. ' _At least it'll be easier to track_.'

  
Shizuo finally came upon a small clearing, covered in a light dusting of frost and dotted with small patches of yellowish grass and, surprisingly, clear of ash or charred remains. In the middle of a short hill stood a tree, its swooping branches laying low to form a dome-like shape surrounding the trunk. Taking a quick whiff of the air, Shizuo confirmed that there wasn't anything in the tree at the moment and ventured closer. Calloused fingers reached over to pull several thick branches out of the way, the last few leaves clinging to its limbs chiming like bells as they rustled together.

  
A small, square stone sat resting along the trunk, several score marks similar to the one on the cobblestone wall lining the thick bark. Shizuo crouched down to the stone statue's level, reading the shaky kanji engraved onto it.

  
' _They were names_ ,' Shizuo realized, noting the odd spelling and repeating words, most likely a surname. ' _Orihara Mairu and Orihara Kururi. Those must be the girls who were killed._ ' hazel eyed drifted downwards to the final words, brows scrunching up at the strange kanji. ' _Orihara...Rinya? Or is it...Izaya? Who gives their kids such odd names? And I thought there were only two people killed. Who's this last guy_?' Shizuo grumbled to himself as he gave a short prayer to the two girls before lifting himself out of the tree's thorny branches.

  
Then, practically out of nowhere, Shizuo heard a sound. 

* * *

 ' _I_ knew _that last piece was a bad decision_ ,' Izaya grimaced as another wave of nausea rolled over him, his stomach roiling and clenching as his gag reflex kicked in once again. Leaning over the bush he had been hunched over for who knows how long, Izaya let out another loud retch, startling the few birds that dared to remain in his part of the forest. His face felt too hot for his body, burning a furnace on his face despite the blistering windchill.

  
Izaya spat out the acidic taste of bile and stomach acid and fell back against a tree, exhausted. His tail was puffed and frazzled and his ears were pressed firmly against the back of his head, a shaking hand fisting the thin, dark grey fabric of his _yukata_ as pain wracked his frail body.

  
Normally, he knew better than to carelessly eat the offerings given to him by his beloved humans, but this time his hunger became too much and he gave in to desire.

  
And Izaya never gave in to desire.

  
He was stronger than that; above carnal want and longing, but that pile of dried plums he'd found four days ago at the base of his shrine had been so _utterly tempting_.

  
Shuddering, Izaya prepared himself to lean over and heave another loud retch, but a faint rustling sounded from just further away, his sensitive ears picking up on the sound of footsteps nearing his location. He tried to stand, to grab the blade at his side and defend himself from whatever was coming towards him, but his shaky legs wouldn't allow it, keeping him vulnerable and rooted to the ground.

  
Bracing himself with his sharp nails, Izaya kept his form hidden behind the trunk, allowing the shadows to swallow him whole. He peered out from behind the bark to spot a tall, rather handsome man with oddly golden hair. He stopped a few metres away from Izaya's hiding spot, and from there, Izaya could make out the scent of smoke as it clung to the man's skin. The man wore a blue and white _Haori_ and a warm-looking white _kimono_ , one sword swinging at his waist with another griped in his hands and held out threateningly.

  
' _Oh_ ,' Izaya thought. ' _So the old woman's still kicking_.'

  
The man's breathing evened out and he straightened his posture from a threatening stance. He sniffed the air. "Smells like shit," he grumbled, much to Izaya's displeasure. ' _He did not smell, thank you very much_ '.

  
The man continued to grumble to himself, pacing a small circle along the dirt before he stopped to stare at the tree Izaya was hidden behind. Izaya ducked swiftly, his hands weaving into his tail to press it closer to his body, hoping that the stranger would leave.

  
"I know you're there, Fox," the man hissed in a low, deep bass voice that shook Izaya to his core. The threatening growl from the other man's throat was intriguing and far different from any of the other humans who ventured into his part of the forest.

  
' _Well, this will be interesting..._ '

  
"There's no use in hiding."

  
Plastering on his most unnerving smirk, Izaya stood on unsure legs, holding his blade as steady as he could against his wrist within his sleeve, and faced the man.

* * *

Here. Here was where the stench was most concentrated, bathing the area in the heavy odour. It was sour and bitter, and Shizuo had to refrain from covering his nose with his sleeve. Shizuo heard a crackle and shift from the blackened undergrowth and he quickly pulled out his katana, his stance wide and ready for an attack from the elusive Demon Fox.

  
But nothing happened. Nothing attacked him or came remotely close to him. Relaxing his pose, he let his back straighten as he smelled the air as if to confirm that he was in the right place.

  
He wrinkled his nose. "Smell's like shit," he muttered, beginning to pace the area to find the source. Circling around a few times, his eyes caught sight of something strange sticking out from the right side of the tree. An odd, triangular shape of tufted fur.

  
An ear.

  
"I know you're there, Fox," he hissed, his heart beginning to beat faster as adrenaline pumped through his veins. "There's no use in hiding."

  
He heard a soft chuckle sound from behind the tree's cover, the tone giddy and childish as a man in a ragged yukata stepped out.

  
The man was shorter than Shizuo by a good head and far skinnier, at that. A baggy, ill-fitting _yukata_ made of faded, threadbare material seemed to swamp his thin frame; jutting collarbones showing just beneath the dark red collar. The man was shoeless too, his bare feet stepping weightless and silent onto the forest floor. He looked normal. Innocent, even, but what separated this man from the rest were his strange, inhuman features.

  
Sitting atop his head was a large pair of black ears, tufted with light silver fur. A faded, red-grey string was braided into his longish hair; twin wooden beads dangling from the end. His nails were long and sharp, more resembling claws than normal nails and his eyes glistened with the hue of fresh blood. All in all, he looked like a flea, an insect to be squished out of existence to bring peace to the Kuronuma's and all of Ikebukuro.

  
As the Fox stepped forward, it let go of its fluffy looking...tail? _'I thought he was supposed to have two tails_?' Shizuo thought as he steeled his gaze and resumed his defensive stance.

  
The man's face twisted into an eerie, sharp-toothed smile. "My, my! I never thought I'd be getting visitors today!" he clapped his hands together mockingly, giving Shizuo a pleasant smile. "Let me guess: you're here to kill me, aren't you?" Shizuo remained silent, but the Fox's voice was beginning to grate on his nerves and he gripped his katana tighter. "Who sent you? Was is that senile old woman? Tell me, is she still hellbent on revenge?" his grin twisted wider and he let out a sadistic chuckle. "I was almost sure that she would give up after what I did to that other guy!"

  
"Shut up, Fox. I am here on behalf of the Kuronuma family, and in their name, I will purge you from this forest." The Fox blinked for a second, almost looking confused, before letting out a delirious laugh, nearly doubling over as it clung to his middle.

  
"HAHAHA! I like you!" the Fox chirped, bounding closer with agile feet as Shizuo stepped back. "If I remember correctly, you're the 42nd person that old woman's sent after me, you know! I wonder how I'll take care of you...maybe I'll convince you to run yourself off a cliff. Maybe that's too cliche...what do you think about bear traps?"

  
Shizuo growled loudly, his voice cutting through the cold. "Don't mess with me, Fox." He adjusted his grip on the handle of his blade, ready to swing.

  
"If you ask me," he said haughtily, completely ignoring Shizuo's threatening movements, ", I would have given up and just let me be by now." Placing his hands behind his back in a relaxed pose, the Fox paced closer. "So, let me guess, are you a...ninja? Exorcist? A man with a death wish" he giggled at his own joke. "Just kidding! I already know what you are, Samurai-san!"

  
Without warning, Shizuo brought the blade downward, cutting a gash through the man's sleeve, who twirled out of the way, tuttering at him as if he was a child. "Shut up, Demon. Don't make this harder for me, so just stand still and let me kill you!"

  
The Fox's gaze focused on Shizuo, blood-red eyes narrowing on his figure. "Now now, _Heiwajima Shizuo_ ," Shizuo kept his face stoic despite the surprise running through his veins. "Oh! I'm sorry! Did I startle you? Sorry, sorry," The Fox flicked out a blade of his own from his sleeve and pointed it threateningly to Shizuo. "You're just such an open book, _Shi-zu-chan!_ "

  
"Who the hell are you calling Shizu-chan!" he growled, lunging towards the flea, teeth gnashing when the damn louse dodged, ducking out of the blade's path and coming up from beneath him to slash his dagger across Shizuo's chest. Shizuo stumbled backwards, pressing his free hand to his chest and feeling a warm trickle of blood oozing onto his palm.

  
"Ma, Shizu-chan, for someone who's name means 'peaceful' you sure aren't, ne?" Letting out a low growl, Shizuo slashed the katana towards the Fox's form, missing by mere centimetres as the Flea jumped away, dashing out through the charred terrain.

  
"Oi, you shitty Flea! Get back here!" Re-sheathing the sword, Shizuo ran after the dark form, following that putrid scent along the winding wooded path. "Come out, you shitty flea!"

  
"Flea? How rude. I do have a name, you know?" His body skidded to a halt, his eyes shooting upward to a cracked, mossy boulder where the Fox was perched, sitting lazily at the top. One of his ears flicked in annoyance. "Don't you want to know my name, Shizu-chan?"

  
In response, Shizuo grabbed the boulder, easily lifting its weight and relishing the startled squeak from the Flea. "Why the hell would I want to know the name of a shitty louse like you!" he roared, hurling the boulder with all his might and watching it crash through a small patch of trees. He let out a satisfied huff as the boulder crushed the Flea's puny body.

  
A slow-clap sounded from behind him. "Uwah! How terrifying!" the Fox gave him a sly smirk, his eyes glimmering with interest. "It's Izaya, by the way. Orihara Izaya!" Shizuo's eyes narrowed. ' _That was the third name from the statue...He stole the name of someone he killed!'_

  
Izaya deftly dodged a punch sent his way, watching in awe as Shizuo's fist drove straight through the tree. He turned to Shizuo, red eyes flashing. "What a monster you are."

  
"Do you think that's funny, Demon! Stealing the names of the people you murdered?"

  
"Is that senile old fool still telling the same story after all these years," he hissed, throwing his blade with practised precision, not even lifting a brow when Shizuo caught the thing with his teeth and splintered it with his jaw. "Then again, you must be a pretty stupid monster to believe her ramblings."

  
"Shut up, Demon!"

  
"Is this why that old woman put you up for the job?" he purred. "Is it because she believes that only a monster can kill another monster?" Izaya grinned, digging his claws into a chink in the samurai's armour. "Truly, what a beast..." Cackling a laugh, the Fox spun off once again, his silver-tipped tail swishing and goading him to follow. 

* * *

Panting, Izaya was forced to come to a stop. Shizuo had been chasing him for the past four hours. Most people who stopped by gave up within a few minutes, but no matter how hard he tried, Izaya was unable to shake Shizuo off his tail. Izaya;s movements were still slow and lethargic, and nausea was once again building in the pit of his stomach. Clearly, whatever poison was in his system hadn't been fully expelled yet.

  
Even so, it was utterly fascinating to see a monster run around in the skin of his beloved humans.

  
' _At least he's interesting. More interesting than the last guy, anyway,_ ' he mused as he scaled a tree in an effort to get away, ignoring the stab of pain in his abdomen. The last man who stopped by was an overly religious priest who tried to pray the Demon away from him. And when that didn't work, he stabbed him. Settling onto a thick, sturdy branch, Izaya leaned over to watch the clearing.

  
He couldn't stop the giddy grin spreading across his face as he watched the blond samurai barrel through the forest, cursing loudly as he whipped his head back and forth like a stupid mutt.

  
"Where the hell are you, you shitty Flea! Come out so I can crush you!"

  
"Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" Izaya tsked, crossing his legs in a relaxed manner across the thick branch.

  
"Come down here, louse!" the samurai growled. When Izaya didn't move, Shizuo stalked over, tossing his sword to the side and grabbed the tree, easily uplifting its deep roots from their spot underground.

  
Izaya scrambled to the edge of the branch, taking a flying leap to another tree and sinking his nails into the frosty bark. He heard a loud _whoosh_ behind him as Shizuo swung the tree as if it were a giant fly swatter. Gritting his teeth, Izaya launched himself away from the tree, his hands outstretched in front of him as rolled onto the ground and spun around to face the towering, raging man before him.

  
"Hah! Did you really think that would work, you dim-witted protozoan?" he crowed, hoping that his cocky tone would distract the man from his shaking legs. He took a step back. "Do you even know how to use that brain of yours, you monster? Or is that too difficult for a single-celled organism like yourself?" Another step. "Your stupid, monstrous tendencies will surely kill everyone around you!" Another step.

  
And then, he was falling.

* * *

Shizuo followed the zig-zagging trail of the Fox, his lumbering steps following the Fox's graceful ones.

  
Izaya was clearly toying with him. In no time, the Fox could have shaken Shizuo from his path, but he kept his pace just slow enough to remain in the edges of Shizuo's vision. Growling lowly, he came to a stop where the scent was strongest. He scanned the area for signs of the Flea.

  
Nothing.

  
"Where the hell are you, you shitty Flea! Come out so I can crush you!" he roared, his panting breaths coming out as small clouds before misting into the air.

  
A lofty giggle sounded from above. "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" Izaya cooed, his legs crossed and his tail swaying lazily, looking like the perfect image of relaxation. If it wasn't for the uneven way his chest was rising and falling or the ragged, dishevelled look of his _yukata_ , Shizou would have easily assumed that the damn Fox was lounging there this whole time.

  
Shifting his blade so it was pointing up at the demon, "Come down here, louse!" Izaya made no indication that he was leaving his perch, instead yawning in an exaggerated manner and stretching languidly. Cursing under his breath, Shizuo tossed the sword aside carelessly and grabbed the thick tree trunk, lifting its roots out from the frozen ground. Looking up, he saw Izaya take a running leap to an adjacent tree, sinking his claws into the hard bark.

  
Taking a bracing step back, Shizuo widened his stance and shifted his upper body to swing the tree at the other man, hoping the sharp ends of splintered branches would crush the Flea. The tree made a loud _thwack_ noise as it crashed into the other, but Izaya was, of course, unharmed, rolling out of the way into the underbrush. His figure quickly straightened, albeit a little shakily, and he spun to lock eyes with Shizuo.

  
"Hah! Did you really think that would work, you dim-witted protozoan?" he asked mockingly, arms flailing about to exaggerate his words. "Do you even know how to use that brain of yours, you monster? Or is that too difficult for a single-celled organism like yourself?" he sneered as he took several steps away from Shizuo, and Shizuo followed, his pace matching Izaya's stride for stride. The Flea was slowing down. "Your stupid, monstrous tendencies will surely kill everyone around you!" the Fox cackled at Shizuo's rage-filled face, laughing as if it was the funniest thing he had ever seen.

  
But before Shizuo could say anything, Izazya disappeared, almost as if the ground had swallowed him up.

  
Blinking, Shizuo ran over to the spot where Izaya once stood, peering over the sharp drop of a stony cliff where the Fox's dark form laid, crumpled and sad looking. Scoffing, Shizuo carefully made his way down to the small gorge made from where the ground seemed to split in two.

  
Izaya's body was lying half in a small brook flowing through the area, soaking his lower half in freezing water. Several heavy-looking rocks rested by his head, a few of them tinted red from where he hit his head. A soft groan from Izaya's lips and the twitchy movement of his ears as Shizuo approached indicated that he was still, regrettably, alive, but seemingly unable to move.

  
Extending a foot, Shizuo gave a sharp prod to Izaya's side, causing the other man's eyes to bulge as he leaned over to empty the few contents of his stomach. Now that Shizuo was close and focused enough, he could tell that Izaya absolutely reeked, his scent sour and bitter like sickness. It was strong enough to almost make Shizuo gag.

  
Shizuo remained paralyzed as Izaya pulled himself up onto his elbows to continue retching, his legs and tail curling inwards to make himself appear smaller. By the time he was done Izaya collapsed against the pebbles, nearly falling into his own sick. He laid still and unmoving, if not for the rattling rise and fall of his chest.

  
' _This is my chance,_ ' Shizuo thought. ' _I can get this done, get paid, and forget this ever happened_ ' reaching for his sword, he pulled out his dulled blade, making a mental note to retrieve his new one on his way back, and raised it, above his head and ready to stab the blade through Izaya's heart.

  
Except he couldn't. No matter how hard he willed for it, his arms just couldn't - _wouldn't_ \- move.

  
Shinra's words echoed within Shizuo's head. ' _Your heart is too big for something like that_.'

  
With a sigh, Shizuo lowered his katana and resheathed it. He suddenly felt very tired. Taking a seat on a flat, cold stone, Shizuo ran a hand through his tangled gold locks, studying Izaya's fragile form from between his fingers.

  
' _He's so skinny_ ,' Shizuo thought, his eyes trailing along bone-thin wrists and limbs. Through his _yukata_ , Shizuo could count the individual knobs of Izaya's spine, following the detailed curve down his back to his tail, of which there was only one. He was pale, too; possibly paler than Celty, with white ivory skin that was so translucent that he could see the winding river of blood vessels underneath. Several had burst during their game of cat and mouse, spilling dark colours beneath his skin and foretelling the countless bruises that he would no doubt bear the next morning if he survived that long.

  
Shizuo shivered as a howling wind passed through the ravine, ruffling Izaya's silver-black fur and cutting through his threadbare _yukata_. ' _It must be freezing in the water_ ,' he mused, dipping a toe into the frigid stream. ' _How the hell is he able to wear just a yukata in this type of weather?_ ' _Is he not cold? Or, do Demon's not get cold?'_

  
Pulling out the map from within his _kimono_ , Shizou turned it around to trail a finger along the weathered lined of ink. ' _Are these really the same two beings_?' he asked himself, comparing the image of a snarling, all-powerful twin-tailed Demon from _Yomi-no-Kuni_ to the frail-looking man in front of him, shivering and defenceless against the frosty rocks. If Shizuo was being completely honest, Izaya looked almost...

  
_'Sympathetic..._ '

  
"Oh, dear _Kami-sama_ , am I really going to do this?" he breathed aloud, looking down at the pitiful man with ice beginning to form along his _yukata_. Groaning a sigh, Shizuo picked up the louse, wrinkling his nose at the stench wafting from the man and flinching when his hand came into contact with cold, leathery skin. "Urgh, I already regret this," Shizuo huffed and hoisted Izaya into his arms, retracing his steps.

  
Scowling, Shizuo practically kicked the branches of the low-hanging tree out of the way and dumped Izaya's still unconscious body onto the ground. "Fuck, it sticks," Shizuo cursed, pinching his nose in disgust before stumbling out. When he was a few steps away from the tree, Shizuo turned as if to glare at the man hiding within its woven branches. "I'll be back for you, you shitty Flea," he growled. "Next time, I won't be so sparing."

  
Turning his heel, Shizuo stalked off, his rage dying down to a quiet simmer in the back of his mind. "Ah, I still need that sword."

* * *

A sigh of relief escaped his lips as Shizuo neared the gaping hole in the wall. Having spent the last hour scoping out the territory and getting a feel for the terrain, Shizuo was glad to be stepping onto the city once again. Looking around, he spotted Shooter and the wagon waiting by the corner.

  
"Shizuo-kun! You're alive!" Shinra called, hopping out with a small bag of medical supplies while Celty raced over to wrap Shizuo into a hug.

  
[What happened to your chest?] she demanded. Blinking in confusion, Shizuo remembered the slash across the front of his kimono.

  
"Ah, it's nothing. The damn thing had a knife and scratched me a bit."

  
"Let me take a look at it in the cart, Shizuo-kun," Shinra instructed, much to Celty's distress.

  
[You should be treating him now! What if he's poisoned and dies the next morning? Or what if the Demon is invading his soul!]

  
"Ah, my beloved Celty! So kind and caring! Such a lovely person!" Shinra cooed, wrapping his arms around the headless woman's shoulders before hunching over in pain from where Celty jabbed him. "Celty...why?"

  
"Heiwajima-san. I am glad that you have safely returned," said Mikado, pulling Shizuo's eyes away from his two friends. "I see you encountered the Fox. Most people don't on their first day, so even seeing it is a great accomplishment."

  
Shizuo fiddled with the hem of his sleeve, his cheeks flushing a light shade of red. It wasn't often that people praised him. "I'll catch him next time."

  
"Him? Surely you mean 'it', right?" Mikado's eyes glinted coldly, catching the attention of Shinra and Celty. "We Kuronuma's don't enjoy giving the Demon human qualities."

  
"Oh...Sorry," Shuzuo muttered. "I'll get it next time, then. The damn thing's slippery, couldn't catch it" he felt as if Mikado's steely blue eyes were seeing right through his ruse, but if he did, he didn't comment.

  
"Shall we head back to the estate, then?" asked Shinra. "I still need to look you over for injuries, and I'm sure that Kuronuma-obaasan will want to know of your progress."

  
Shizuo gave a noise of agreement. "I have a few questions for her too."

* * *

"So," Kuronuma-obaasan's eyes were sharp and excited when Shizuo entered her room. "Mikado tells me that you've made progress, Heiwajima-san. Please, tell me what you have done."

  
Shizuo rubbed a hand through his hair sheepishly. "Well...I found it," he began slowly, "But I never managed to catch it."

  
"Ah, of course, of course. The Demon is a tricky thing, don't you think."

  
"He's...It's like a stupid louse, always jumping around all over the place." Just the memory of his taunting smirk and goading words was enough to cause the rage within him to resurface; but along with those came the image of the fragile creature, sitting half-drowned and pathetic. "Um...if you don't mind me asking, why does h-it look like that?"

  
Shizuo almost instantly regretted his question when the woman's eyes hardened. "Looks like _what_ , Heiwajima-san?"

  
"I mean, compared to the picture that your grandson gave me, it looks quite different." Her silence indicated that she wanted him to elaborate. "Well, for one, it doesn't look as...evil as the drawing depicts."

  
"That's because it is trying to manipulate you, Heiwajima-san!" her voice shrilled. "You must remember that it is a Demon! It is not human and does not deserve sympathy! It is simply putting up a front in an attempt to bring down your defences. You must remain on guard!" Somewhere in her rant, she had risen from her seat to glare menacingly at Shizuo before collapsing back into her seat. "You _must_ promise me that you won't let the Fox manipulate you to do its whims," she gasped, taking a hand into hers. " _Please_ promise me that you will get rid of it."

  
Shizuo silently berated himself for giving the Fox any sympathy. The damn thing made him forget what he was doing this for; what justice he was seeking for the troubled Kuronuma family. "Of course, Kuronuma-obaasan," he said, his voice quiet and solemn. "Next time, I will dispose of him. That is a promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tada! Another messy addition to this hot pile of fabulous trash!
> 
> Obi - The belt of a kimono
> 
> 42 - Generally seen as an unlucky number in Japan because when you pronounce the individual numbers together (4 and 2) it sounds like the word for 'dying'. Also, Shizuo's character number is 420, so I thought it would be an interesting little easter egg
> 
> Heiwajima - Literally translates to 'serene man', so when Izaya says he doesn't match his name, he mean's that Shizuo isn't peaceful
> 
> Kami - Japanese word for 'God'
> 
> Ronin - A samurai without a master. Special thanks to cdwysbl for telling me!
> 
> Rinya - I read on the wiki that the kanji for Izaya's name actually reads as 'Rinya', not Izaya; his parents just wanted his name to sound like Izaya.
> 
> If you see anything I missed, spelling, grammar, or otherwise, please tell me!
> 
> Thanks for reading, and subscribe to Pewdiepie


	5. The Samurai's Unraveling Questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a bit of trouble pacing this chapter out, but I think I've finally solidified the story outline! I had a lot of fun writing this, so please enjoy!

"So, what is he like!?"

  
"He smells like shit," Shizuo grumbled, taking another shot of sake. Ever since he got back, he had been interrogated non-stop about the Demon from just about everyone.

  
"Eh?" Karisawa turned to Yumasaki. "But _Kitsune_ are supposed to transform into beautiful women, aren't they? Shouldn't he have smelled good and been, like, crazy sexy?"

  
"I dunno, but he smelled like shit. Looked like shit too." Karisawa frowned, leaning over her spot on the _tatami_ mat and gesturing Yumasaki and Saburo close to her, much to their displeasure.

  
"Shizuo-kun," Shinra leaned over, "you're calling it a 'he' again," Shinra said softly into his ear.

  
"Ah, fuck," he cursed, shaking his head upon realization. "Stupid manipulative Flea bastard, getting me to sympathize with its sorry ass," he growled, snapping his third pair of chopsticks in half.

  
”You ok, Shizuo? You seem more on edge than usual, ” Kadota asked quietly on Shizuo’s other side. ”You wanna, like...talk about it or something?”

  
Shizuo glanced over to where Saburo, Erika, and Yumasaki were seated, arguing over a sheet of paper they snagged from somewhere in the estate and bickering about what the Fox looked like.

  
”Erika! What are you drawing!” Saburo wailed, tugging at his long hair. ”What the hell _is_ that!”

  
”It’s _art_ , that's what!” she declared, lifting the page proudly to show off her crude drawing of a scruffy looking Fox locking lips with someone that looked vaguely like Shizuo. ”You can't stifle my creativity!”

  
Grimacing, Shizuo nodded. He couldn't think properly in here. ”Let’s go somewhere else.” Standing slowly, the three made their way to the outer balcony of their room, closing the _Shoji_ doors firmly behind them. They were silent for a minute, admiring the gentle lights coming from the town below. Shizuo pulled out his _Kiseru_ , filled it with tobacco, and lit the end, sparking a small beacon into the dark night sky.

  
"So, what do you want to talk about," Kadota finally broke the silence, removing his hat and letting the breeze ruffle his hair.

  
Looking down at his hands, "I just...don't know how to...feel, I guess," he mumbled, pulling his pipe to his lips. "Everything just seems really confusing right now."

  
"What do you mean?" Shinra's voice lacked his usual giddiness.

  
"It's just...I don't know what to think. The Kuronuma's are trying to tell me that this Demon Fox is a menace to Ikebukuro and that it must be destroyed as soon as possible, but from what I saw, he's just kinda annoying. And I'm not gonna lie, his shitty face makes me want to break every bone in his scrawny little body, but for something that can allegedly do so much damage, it seemed really... _weak_ , I guess. I just sort of wonder if they're...lying to me. Or at least telling me the whole story."

  
And that was the honest truth. Shizuo had spent the entirety of his evening mulling over everything in his mind. Kuronuma-obaasan seemed insistent on the Fox's horrible capabilities, and to a point, Shizuo could understand. He saw what Izaya had apparently done to the dividing wall in the West and had listened to the awful tales told to him by the Kuronuma's, and everything pointed to the idea that Izaya was a danger to be extinguished.

  
But he just couldn't believe was that the scrawny, pitiful-looking man he'd met in the forest this morning could kill anyone. He looked too weak and gaunt to do any real damage. Then again, he was supposed to be a master manipulator...

  
Groaning, Shizuo ran a hand over his face, pressing the heels of his palms into his eyes tiredly. "I just don't know what to think anymore. I want to...know more about what actually happened, you know? Get actual details, but no one will talk to me about anything."

  
Shinra hummed thoughtfully, placing his hand on his chin. "Well, as a former resident of Ikebukuro, and as someone from a family that has stayed in Ikebukuro since before the Fox story even started, I can tell you this," Shinra began, his voice low and masked by the wind. "At the end of the day, the Kuronuma's aren't evil. Maybe manipulative, but never evil. What the Fox did centuries ago is fuzzy, but something definitely happened. It's just that the Kuronuma's are rather passionate with their hate. Heck, some of the older villagers will stand by them in their beliefs.

  
"My family's lived in the area since before the Fox story even started, and from what my father told me, there are medical records of strange deaths from the same time period. Maybe parts of the story are true, but you have to keep in mind that the Kuronuma's are probably a biased source. Maybe you can take some time to look over a few historical records," Shinra placed a hand on Shizuo's shoulder. "You might find your answers there, ne?"

  
Shizuo blinked down at Shinra. "Wow...I never thought you'd ever say _anything_ that serious in your life. I'm almost proud of you." Kadota chuckled while Shinra gave an indignant squawk.

  
"I am truly offended! That's the last time I'm ever helping you with your problems, Shizuo-kun. I won't stand this discrimination any longer. If you'll excuse me," turning his nose up, the doctor headed back inside, whining about the cruel treatment to Celty.

  
A heartbeat passed without any noise before the two still on the balcony burst into laughter. "Phfft. I can't believe you," Kadota laughed, clapping a hand onto Shizuo's shaking shoulders. "I'll leave you to think about it, I guess. Come back in soon. It's cold." giving Shizuo one last reassuring smile, Kadota too re-entered the warmth of their room.

  
Taking in small puffs of smoke, Shizuo remained rooted where he was, deep in thought. If anything, he felt even more confused now than before. He knew in his heart that the Kuronuma's weren't bad people, perhaps a little eccentric, but definitely not evil.

  
But he could almost say the same about Izaya. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the feeling of humanity radiating from his small form. He just couldn't see the same 'it' that the Kuronuma's saw. Sure, he was an annoying little pest and there were some questioning things about him, but he wasn't a danger. Not in Shizuo's eyes.

  
Eventually, the last remainders of tobacco smouldered out, leaving only dark, hair-fine ashes. Shizuo tipped the pipe over, watching the ashes float away into the air, lost in the breeze.

  
' _Maybe I'm just going crazy_ ,'

* * *

When Izaya finally cracked open his eyes, he could tell it was already past midnight, the moon high up in the inky black sky dotted with countless stars. Groaning loudly, he forced his aching body to sit up and lean against the tree. A sharp spike of pain stabbed deep under his spine forced a hiss from his lips. He turned his body gently in an attempt to relieve the growing pressure on his spine, snaking a hand to his back to caress the sore spot.

  
The ache in his back was beginning to flare up again...

  
Closing his eyes, he waited on the cold ground for the pain to fade back to a dull throb, pulsing every now and then, but otherwise calm.

  
"When did I get back?" he wondered out loud, blurry eyes blinking open as he struggled to focus. Sniffing his torn sleeve, he noticed that it smelled of warm tobacco smoke and pressed leather. "Eh? Shizu-chan, how kind of you," he laughed softly to himself. He could almost imagine it, the hulking blond brute grumbling to himself as he lifted Izaya up, warming his ice-cold skin with too warm fingers. "My sweet monster carried me back. How caring,"

  
His throat felt dry and parched, but Izaya didn't have the strength nor the will to get up in the cold and stumble his way over to the freezing stream just for a single drink.

  
Izaya's whole body felt sore, from his limbs extending all the way to his extremities, and the cold definitely wasn't helping. It had probably been _years_ since he ran that much just to get away from someone; but the adrenaline, the exhilaration of the chase, it all felt addicting, and Izaya found himself excitedly anticipating his next encounter with his blond beast.

  
Izaya rolled forward onto all fours, hearing the _pop_  in his spine and in his stiff joints. Rolling his neck, he inched forward, pushing the branches of his protective tree aside to squint up at the bright light of the moon. He settled back into a sitting position and curled his tail over his lap and hands.

  
"Ne...Mairu, Kururi," he breathed up to the stars, his gaze soft and his words delicate. "...I think he's the one. Yeah...I think he will be the one to kill me."

* * *

Shizuo was just about ready to tear his hair out. For the past two or so weeks, he'd been chasing the damn Flea around the forest, yelling obscenities at the smaller man and growling threats with every bout of echoing laughter. It was nearing sunset and Shizuo was nearly set to tear out every last damn tree in the entire damn forest to catch the damn thing.

  
"I-za-ya! Come out here so I can _crush_ you!" Faintly in the back of his mind, Shizuo knew that he would later come to regret his words, in a sense. During that night which seemed so long ago, he spent his time thinking about the damn louse and came to the conclusion that he didn't truly want to kill the Flea, he just wanted answers. He was too curious for his own good.

  
He wanted to know why he had a name. Where it came from. Why the damn thing didn't just leave. Where his second tail disappeared to. Why he fucking collapsed that first night; but he never once got close enough or calmed down enough to ask. _'Tch, as if he would tell me anyway.'_

  
"Peek a boo!" Izaya shouted, dangling himself from a heavy tree branch, his arms extended outwards and his tufted ears pointing outwards in excitement. "Does Shizu-chan realize that he's calling me by my name now, or is he too stupid to understand?" Shizuo tossed a boulder with all his might, but, as always, Izaya dodged at the last second, dancing circles around Shizuo.

  
"Stop calling me that, you shitty Flea!"

  
"But Shizu-chan, my name is important to me!" Izaya grunted as he leapt across several charred logs, leading them around in circles within the same burned, soot-filled area. "Names carry great importance, you know! Not like a protozoan like you would understand."

  
"Shut up, you stinking Fox. Quit lyin' to me! Now stop moving so I can finally crush you like the insect you are!"

  
"How rude! I do not stink," Izaya paused, bringing his wrist up to his nose and taking an exaggerated sniff, his tail twitching in irritation. "Didn't anyone tell you that it's _rude_ to speak to others that way?"

  
"As if I'd be nice to a Demon like you!"

  
"That's mean, Shizu-chan," Izaya sniffed, his ear twisting back in a hostile manner. "Human's used to worship me as a God of Knowledge in the past. I'm a far greater being than you'll ever understand, Shizu-chan," he shook his head, smirking. "Oh, _why_ did my beloved humans have to _degrade_ me to a simple spirit though I helped them so? Why did they _hurt_ me despite my undying love for them," he moaned, clutching the fabric close to his heart sarcastically.

  
But as Izaya continued babbling excitedly about human nature and the power of knowledge, Shizuo could only focus on one thing. _'God of knowledge? Worshipped?'_ It was hard to believe, but with Izaya, Shizuo couldn't be sure.

  
Shizuo clicked his tongue angrily, ready to snarl a response but the loud rumble of Izaya's stomach stopped him. "Ah, I'm hungry, Shizu-chan. Do you have any snacks?"

  
"Hah?"

  
"You know, like those persimmons you had before, something like that. I know Shizu-chan bought more yesterday."

  
Shizuo scowled at the Fox, running up and slashing his sword across the length of his body. "Stop reading my mind, I-za-ya-kun!" That was one of the few things that Shizuo was almost positive about. From their first encounter onward, Izaya continuously made comments about things he would have no knowledge of, proudly talking about his ability to _'read humans like books, but of course, Shizu-chan isn't human, so you must be an exception.'_

  
"Don't group me with 'mind readers' and their fake powers. I'm clairvoyant, Shizu-chan. Clair-voy-ant, do you understand me?"

  
He growled, taking a running start towards the Fox, lifting a tree out from the ground and swinging it like a bat. But, as always, Izaya dodged lithely, twisting his body smoothly away from the incoming object and stepping gracefully away from Shizuo.

  
And with that, they were off.

* * *

"That shitty Fox...I'll _kill_ him. I swear _I'll kill him_ ," Shizuo's teeth chattered as he ran a towel through his damp hair. During the heat of the chase, Izaya decided it would be funny to lead Shizuo along the ice-covered trail by the stream. For Izaya, it was no problem, seeing as he was able to keep himself stable with the help of his claws and tail; but for Shizuo, his poor _Waraji_ didn't stand a chance. Shizuo had slipped and landed into the surprisingly deep stream, soaking his clothes with frigid water. His little slip successfully knocked himself from Izaya's trail so he went back to the village, cold and shivering with icicles forming in his hair.

  
[Are you any warmer? Do you need another blanket?] Celty fretted, hovering over him like a concerned mother hen. [Let me get you another blanket.] She stood to move to the other room where the others were resting, but Shizuo stopped her.

  
"It's fine, Celty," he flopped down onto his _futon_. "I'll warm up in no time."

  
[But it's absolutely freezing out there! What if you get sick?]

  
"C'mon, Celty. You and I both know that a little cold won't hurt me." Celty looked just about ready to explode and Shizuo was positive that if she had a mouth, she would be nagging his ear off.

  
A soft rap on the Shoji doors drew away their attention as Mikado walked into the room, bearing a tray of teacups and a steaming pot. "Heiwajima-san, I hope you're feeling a bit better," he said, stooping down to a crouch to set down the small tray. "Please warm up for now. My grandmother would like to speak to you later." Bowing one last time, Mikado quietly slipped out of the room.

  
"That kid gives me the creeps," Shizuo grunted, accepting the cup from Celty's hands and taking a sip.

  
[That's rude to say, Shizuo. Sure, he's a little different, but there's something endearingly innocent about him.]

  
_'He sure doesn't look innocent...'_

  
Downing the rest of his scalding tea, Shizuo unwrapped himself from his blanket cocoon and adjusted the front of his new, tailor-made midnight blue _Haori_ , smoothing the wrinkles and creases forming over the soft fabric. "I'll be back," he grunted, trailing a finger across the bright white dragon pattern snarling along his shoulder, stretching its winding body across the breadth of his shoulders and the length of his back to protect him from evil.

 

  
[Where are you going? You still need to warm up! Shinra still needs to check over you to make sure you don't have hypothermia!]

  
"I might as well get talking to Kuronuma-obaasan over with. I can't exactly delay the inevitable," he grunted. The woman was growing increasingly annoyed with how long the job was taking, not fully understanding why it was taking so long to just get rid of it. In Shizuo's opinion, she could stand to be a little more grateful.

  
From what he gathered, most people the Kuronuma's hire stay around for maybe five days, a week at most, before leaving and taking the money with them. None of them could find the Fox, and even if they did, they couldn't stand him or his shit personality.

  
Making his way down the winding halls, Shizuo gently knocked on Kuronuma-obaasan's door, hearing a raspy 'come in' from the other side. Sliding the door open, he bowed respectfully before sitting in front of her.

  
"I heard you wished to speak with me?"

  
"Correct, Heiwajima-san," her voice was as cold as the air as she glared down at him. "Heiwajima-san. I understand that catching the Fox is hard-"

  
_'An understatement,'_ Shizuo huffed.

  
"-but I'm beginning to grow impatient with how slow you are working." She took a sip from her teacup. "I want you to, perhaps take a day to reorient yourself. Strategize, I would say. I must remind you that every day, the Fox grows stronger! Every day that passes is another risk to the Western wall!"

  
_'Tch. Have you ever_ seen _the Fox? How the hell is that scrawny little shit capable of destroying anything?'_

  
"You must understand that I push you harder so you get the job done faster. You are our saviour; our hope against the Demon Fox!"

  
"Of course, Kuronuma-obaasan," Shizuo replied, biting back scathing words. How could she understand how difficult this was? He wasn't a miracle worker! "I will try my best."

  
"Unfortunately, your best isn't exactly _good enough_ , is it," she sneered quietly, pointing up her nose at Shizuo. "Well, that is all, Heiwajima-san. You may go."

  
Shizuo quickly turned tail, digging crescents into the thick skin of his palm, drawing blood beneath his nails. That woman was really beginning to get on Shizuo's nerves, with her constant condescending tone and holier-than-thou attitude. Honestly, it kind of reminded Shizuo of Izaya, in a weird way.

  
Muttering under his breath, Shizuo nearly missed the brunette standing a few paces behind him. "Ah! Shizuo-kun! There you are!" He turned to see Shinra striding toward him, a smile on his face. "I'm glad I found you."

  
"What do you want, Shinra," he snapped, letting the annoyance seep into his voice. "I'm not exactly in the best mood right now."

  
"I heard that you had a day off tomorrow!" Shinra chirped, ignoring the low growl from Shizuo's throat. "I thought we could all go to town to look around. We haven't had much time to talk to you since you started the job."

  
Shizuo frowned. _'Am I really that wrapped up in this?'_

  
"We can also look through the library records. Maybe you'll find something to help you."

  
"Yeah. Ok," Shizuo nodded, feeling bad that he'd been ignoring his friends. "Sorry I've been so busy..."

  
"Let's just go eat for now. Karisawa-san has a few drawings to show you! She's already made a story outline and everything!" Shinra grinned brightly, walking briskly through the hall and Shizuo was already beginning to regret following him.

* * *

The next day was spent in total relaxation. No Fox, no chasing, and no crazy old woman pestering him to finish the job. Shizuo had almost forgotten what quiet sounded like. The group had spent their time wandering around the city; buying street food from vendors and ducking into various trade goods shops. Karisawa and Yumasaki spent all their time in a literary store, spending their generous paycheck from 'questionable sources' on novels of varying thickness, rambling to each other about the various stories they were reading.

  
Shinra tried to convince Celty to buy a new _Kimono_ , to which she smacked him hard over the head.

  
[Don't waste your money on me, stupid!]

  
"But Celty dearest, you would look so beautiful in white," Shinra wailed. "You would look like my beautiful bride!" Celty quickly shut him up after that.

  
They passed the same old woman selling intricately decorated _Haori's_ , who had moved on from the lavender-pink one to a charcoal grey piece, detailed with bamboo shoots and falling leaves. Shizuo nodded to her politely. She gave him a smile.

  
Saburo stopped at an old antique shop. They had pieces from all over Japan from varying time periods, including old china sets, pots and urns, cabinets and wood furnishings, and a long katana sheathed in a grey scabbard, the long red handle standing bright against the plain greyscale.

  
Everything in that shop was expensive as fuck. He never knew something could have that many zeros behind it. Shizuo had been nervous to step into the shop in fear of breaking something. He also spotted that Masaomi kid from before, chattering exactly with a girl in a light blue _kimono_ and red _obi_ with a large chest for her age. Similarly to Mikado, she too was soft-spoken and shy looking, smiling softly at her friend.

  
Shizuo gave Masaomi a sarcastic wave and smile when their eyes met, oddly enjoying the was his cheeks paled and his words trailed off into an unintelligible mutter.

  
By late afternoon, they had traversed most of the town's streets, with their final stop being-

  
"The library!" Shinra practically sang. "I told you we'd look through records today, so now, we have a lot of time to go through everything!"

  
" _Everything?_ " Shizuo asked, a hint of dread creeping into his voice.

  
"Everything!" The bespeckled man skipped through the small library's wooden doors, beckoning them to follow.

  
"I'll pass," Kadota gave him an apologetic smile. "I have some work to do on the other side of town.

  
"We'll help you, Shizu-Shizu!" Karisawa walked in with Yumasaki and Saburo in tow.

  
[I'm going with Kadota first. I'll find you later, alright?] Celty and Kadota waved a quick goodbye before disappearing into the traffic of the streets. Tilting his head up to the sky, Shizuo groaned.

  
_'Let's just get this over with.'_

* * *

"Shinra, I've already been through that section. Nothing's in there."

  
"Hmm. Are you sure? I'm just gonna check again."

  
"Just because I'm not great at reading doesn't mean I can't read at all."

  
"Ma, I never said that, Shizuo-kun."

  
They had been sitting in the dust-filled library for a good four hours now, looking through historical records from the time of the first Fox attack. So far, they had found nothing. Karisawa and Yumasaki got bored within 30 minutes and decided to read the miscellaneous books throughout the library. Saburo decided that he wanted food and had disappeared a while back and had yet to return.

  
Only Celty, Shinra, and Shizuo remained in the dusty corner of the library, looking through ancient, crumbling texts and spineless records. Closing one of the files he was going through, Shizuo placed it in the small 'read' pile with as much care as he could muster with his fraying patience, grabbing a second text from its spot beside him. Shizuo was more than ready to say that they had tried their best and head back to the estate, intent on having a long night's rest before going back to the wooden hellscape with that Louse.

  
Everything they touched hadn't seen the light in decades and was covered in a generous layer of dust and lint, enough to make it dangerous for an asthmatic like Shinra to work without a thick cloth covering his face. It all smelled like mildew and just...old. The three of them were trying to work through the texts as quickly as they could, but Shizuo found it nearly impossible. In most of the documents, pages and sentences were missing, either weathered away from age or torn right out of the books. The dialect and characters felt foreign yet similar at the same time. Everything was written in the same blocky script in old Japanese, and to Shizuo's level of literacy, it was extremely difficult to read.

  
Celty let out a sneeze of black smoke as Shizuo let out a long sigh. Urgh," Shizuo groaned, wiping dust off his palms for the nth time. "I can't do this anymore. I need out." He felt claustrophobic in the too tight, too quiet space. Everything felt stifling and Shizuo suddenly felt the great need to see the sky. "I need to get out."

  
Without another word, Shizuo stood and left, taking in a deep breath of fresh air once he stepped out of the suffocating library.

  
"Shizuo-kun! Come on, we're almost there! Just a bit more searching, we can't give up now!" Shinra called, Celty hot on his heels.

  
"There's nothing there, Shinra!" he snarled, all the annoyance and simmering rage building to a crescendo. "We aren't finding anything useful! It's a waste of time."

  
"But there's something weird about the library. About the records they're holding."

  
Shizuo paused. "...What do you mean?"

  
"There's a whole section of history that just disappeared! Ikebukuro's always been pretty finicky about historical record keeping, so it's odd that there's just nothing there. It's as if parts of history were erased! Burned! Never to be seen again!"

  
"So you're saying nothings there because it was deliberately taken away?" Shizuo asked slowly, tilting his head in confusion.

  
[Is there anywhere else that records will be, Shinra?]

  
"Ikebukuro medical records should still exist. I might be able to use my status to get a hold of them."

 

* * *

The next day passed without much fuss. Kuronuma-obaasan was still unsatisfied with his work and thus gave him yet another day off to recollect himself. This just ended up pissing Shizuo off more, seeing as the Kuronuma's were complaining that he hand't yet killed Izaya. The same Izaya that they hadn't managed to kill for _200 years_.

It made Shizuo want to destroy something. To snap it in half and crush it between his fingers. His only solace was the thought that Shinra managed to find something, something that might explain anything about Izaya

  
Practically ripping the door out of place, Shizuo stormed into their shared room in the estate. Erika and Yumasaki were already seated inside, counting bills and coins.

  
"Shizu-Shizu! How was it?"

  
"Did you catch the Fox yet? Can I see its tails?"

  
"Have you _kissed_ yet?"

  
Shizuo ignored their questions, pulling out his pipe instead, fully ready to smoke through his entire box of tobacco in order to soothe the thrumming of his blood in his veins.

  
"Oh yeah, Shizuo," Yumasaki called, the taunting lilt in his voice now subdued. "Shinra's in the East hall. He said if we saw you to direct you there."

  
"Come on, Shizuo! Give. Me. The. _Details_!" Erika made a move to crawl up to him, probably to show him more of her...interesting drawings, but Shizuo was out of there in a flash. He gathered his things and sprinted down the empty halls of the ghostly Kuronuma estate. Despite how large the family actually was, it seemed as if there were few members actually living there.

  
Shizuo's _Geta_ shoes made soft clacking noises on the bamboo floor as he neared the East hall. He slowed to a halt. "Yo, Shinra!" he called, a young servant gathering sheets from the various rooms gave him the stink eye.

  
"Ah, Shizuo-kun!" Shinra greeted. "Come quick! There's something I need to show you!" Giving the servant en embarrassed nod, Shizuo swiftly made his way to the outer garden where Shinra was sitting. There was a frosted maple lining the edge of the rocky clearing, small icicles clinging to fragile limbs with icy leaves wreathing around them. Shinra sat on the ledge leading to the garden, a steaming cup of hot tea in his hands and several papers sitting in a neat folder.

  
"Ma, Shizuo-kun, it's about time! Do you know how _long_ I've been waiting for you?"

  
"Clearly not long, seeing as your tea's still hot."

  
"That's beside the point. I've been waiting here for so long, you know! Even my darling sweetheart Celty wouldn't wait with me! You are the cause of a rift in our blossoming love!"

  
"Get to the point, Shinra."

  
"Ok, ok," his voice shifted to a more serious tone. "I went to the Ikebukuro medical wing this morning, and I found this-" he pulled a stained and wrinkled paper out of the folder "-from the time period." Shizuo's eyes skimmed the page, not really gleaning much information from the odd angle and the messy handwriting of some long-dead doctor. "It's a death record. There were three strange deaths recorded for that day, but I thought these two would be most important. It says two girls from the Orihara family were found dead from unknown causes. That other guy just had his throat slashed, nothing major from that.

  
"Apparently, they were found in a ravine with their organs scattered all over the place," he chattered happily, tapping a small portion of the page. "This says that their blood was found all over the place! Isn't that cool?"

  
Shizuo grimaced. "No. That's sick." He ignored Shinra's grin in favour of voicing his question. "The Orihara family...were the girls killed named Mairu and Kururi?"

  
"Yeah! How did you know?"

  
"I saw it. It was on some tombstone or something."

  
_'Along with another name,'_ Shizuo continued in his head. _'He did say that his name was given to him by two special people...Could the girls have given him his name? But why the hell would they give a Demon a name?'_

  
"I think I might have found their grave on the first day."

  
Shinra frowned. "But Shizuo, their graves are in Ikebukuro. They're buried with all the other Orihara's. The family estate burned to the ground soon after they died. You know where the library is now? Their estate used to be on those lands."

  
Shizuo paused for a minute, organizing his thoughts. "Do you have any family records? Anything else on the Orihara family? Did they have, like, a son or something? Maybe named Izaya?" He was going for subtle but was failing miserably.

  
Shinra shook his head. "The Orihara's were pretty famous for mainly having female children. If there was ever a son, he would be written about a lot more."

  
"And family records?"

  
"There's only this book. It mentions them in a small paragraph," Shinra flipped the book open to a bookmarked page.

  
_'The Orihara's were once a notable family residing within early Ikebukuro. Remaining descendants are thought to have moved away from Ikebukuro due to the tragic deaths of the daughters of the head family; Orihara Mairu and Orihara Kururi. It is now believed that the Orihara's were descendants of ancient yokai, due to documented accounts made by residents, detailing the Orihara children's odd kinship with a Fox God living in the outskirts of Ikebukuro.'_

  
_'Fox God? There was a Fox God in Ikebukuro? Izaya did say that people once revered him as one...'_ Shizuo thought, frowning as he reread the passage.

  
"Did you get to the part about the Fox God, yet? I know you're a slow reader, so take your time!"

  
Ignoring Shinra's jab, "You got records on a Fox God?" A small pile of miscellaneous texts were shoved into Shizuo's hands.

  
"I couldn't find much. Most of them were just name mentions in a diary."

  
_'The Fox God of information; with fur of the darkest night and the p_ _urest silver, eyes of the deepest blood, he blesses all those seeking knowledge and information. The great Fox repayed my kindness thrice over and blessed my children, informing me that they will grow strong and fine, wise beyond their years.'_

  
The text continued for a good few lines, filled with praises for the divine being of knowledge.

  
"A lot of the records I managed to get my hands on looked like this," Shinra explained. "There are no official documents, though," his voice lowered to a whisper, "It's like they never existed. _At_. _All_."

  
Shizuo narrowed his eyes. "...What are you getting at?"

  
Shinra looked over his shoulder, checking to see if anyone was eavesdropping. "I think...there's something the Kuronuma's aren't telling us," he murmured, his eyes deadly serious.

  
"...What? Are they...lying or something?"

  
"Maybe not. I just think that there's more to this 'Demon Fox' story than they claim. They aren't necessarily in the wrong, but there has to be more than what we've already seen.

  
"But even if there was, we would have no way of knowing that," Shizuo argued with a sigh. "We can't just start a conspiracy just for the sake of starting a conspiracy."

  
"That's where you're wrong, Shizuo-kun. There is someone who knows everything. Someone who would be able to answer these questions you have, to fill in the gaps that the Kuronuma's have left!"

  
_'Someone who knows the events from 200 years ago..._ don't _tell me-'_

  
"No way," Shizuo's jaw was set. "There's no way in hell that I'm gonna crawl up to that stinking louse and beg him for answers." Even if he was a little curious...

  
"Think about it! By asking the Fox, maybe he and the Kuronuma's can find a solution in a peaceful way that doesn't involve death or bloodshed! You want to be a peaceful man, don't you? This is how you can solve this peacefully!"

  
_'This is a good idea!'_ half of his mind whispered. _'You can solve something on your own terms; be the peaceful being you've always wished to be! Don't you want to know about the Fox too? About all his mysteries?'_

  
_'Don't do something stupid that you'll regret,'_ the other half chided _. 'The Kuronuma's are paying you to do one thing, and that's to kill the Fox. Curiosity will only lead to sympathy, which will only make the job harder in the end. It's not worth the risk. What if in the end, he's actually just a piece of shit terrorizing the village? Then what?'_

  
_'...But it's all a mystery, prime for the solving.'_

  
"Oh, _Kami-sama_ ," Shizuo groaned. "Why is everything so messy," he ran a hand through his hair, his fingers itching to reach for his pipe.

  
"Well, Shizuo-kun? The choice is yours."

  
Silence. And then, "... _3 days_."

  
"Hm?"

  
"If it doesn't work within 3 days, I'll kill him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Waraji - Sandals made from straw rope that were the standard footwear in the past
> 
> Shoji - A traditional style of door in Japan
> 
> Kitsune - A mythical Fox spirit in Japanese mythology
> 
> I hope you enjoyed today's instalment! It's times like these that I wished I had Grammarly Premium TWT. Writing is hard sometimes, but I love it nonetheless!
> 
> The next chapter will probably be a bit shorter, more of an interlude than an actual chapter. I'm sort of worried that I'm rushing the plot forward a little too fast, you know? I wanna get some more fighting in before we get to the good stuff!
> 
> Also, I made a few edits to the earlier chapters, just to reinforce a few themes in the story. You know, metaphorical shit.
> 
> If you see any issues, please notify me! Comments and Kudos are greatly appreciated. It always made me so happy to see new comments in my inbox every morning!


	6. Answers and Evasions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Sorry if this is a bit late. School decided it wanted to come back all of a sudden, so I had like 3 projects due in one week... Also, remember when I said that there would be an interlude of some sort? Well, not anymore! Screw an interlude!
> 
> Anyway, the chapter is finally out! Enjoy!
> 
> If anyone has a better name for this chapter, please help me out. Titles are hard T-T

The soft rustling of the trees in the wind played a quiet melody through the barren forest. The sun shone a beacon of warmth onto the frigid ground, melting the surrounding ice and urging birds out from their hiding. They sang sparsely through woods, their wings humming sweetly as they soared through the sky. For once, the forest was quiet. Peaceful, even.

  
Izaya _hated_ it. He loathed it with every fibre of his being.

  
Straightening from his perch on a sunbathed rock, he tapped his nails impatiently on the grey granite. _'Where is he?'_ Izaya huffed, _'Did falling into the river actually get him sick? Is it even possible for a monster to get sick?'_

  
He twisted the faded-red string in his hair, rebraiding it for the nth time that hour. He crossed and uncrossed his legs, resting his chin on his palm and nibbling at the edges of his nails. _'It's so boring without him...'_

  
Izaya had spent nearly all of the last two days looking for his favourite plaything; searching and scanning every inch of his territory and yelling out jeering insults in the hopes of spotting a blond mop of hair, angrily snarling out his name. But his monster never even bothered to show up! The only people he saw were a small group of teenagers, sneaking through the woods noisily and setting miniature fires to every other bush they saw. They even pissed in his stream! Izaya _bathed_ there!

  
Pouting, Izaya shifted his gaze to the gathering puddles on the forest floor, squinting at them in annoyance. Despite the sun finally showing up to warm the frozen earth, Izaya couldn't seem to feel warm. The ice had long since melted and his breaths no longer fogged into clouds, but Izaya still felt like ice. If anything, he almost felt _colder_ in the watery sunlight.

  
In addition to how cold he felt, Izaya could feel the beginnings of a migraine blooming at the centre of his skull, radiating outwards and spreading all the way down to the tip of his tail. It was worst at his back, concentrating tortuously at the base of his spine just above his tail.

  
It was the same kind of headache and pain that always occurred right before he... _loses control_ , to put it lightly.

  
The last time it had happened was a few months ago. Usually, the pain progressed slowly, but judging by the fire burning behind his temples, it was probably only a matter of days before he loses control again.

  
Those moments were admittedly terrifying to Izaya. He completely blacks out whenever it happens, and when he wakes up, his whole body aches with the fury of a thousand suns.

  
Clicking his tongue, Izaya pushed himself off the sun-warmed rock, stretching his arms high above his head and padding off along a familiar trail. He let his feet wander along with his mind. _'Maybe he gave up on catching me,'_ Izaya mused, feeling a sharp pang in his chest. _'Most people never stick around long anyway...I hate to admit it, but it's almost...'_

  
_'Lonely.'_  He bit his lip, crouching down to grab a knife from where it was stashed in a rotting log. As much as Izaya loathed thinking about it, he really _did_ feel lonely without the blond's unpredictable presence. Even though they've only known each other for a few weeks and Shizuo hated his guts, Izaya couldn't help but feel slightly attached to the hot-tempered samurai.

  
"Ma, Shizu-chan's so unpredictable," Izaya sighed aloud, tilting his head up when he reached a tall deciduous tree, its hardy branches looking sturdy and strong. Tucking his knife into his thin _obi_ , Izaya sunk his nails into the bark, using what little strength he had left to haul himself onto one of the higher branches. Once he reached a small fork, he settled himself comfortably between the tree's unyielding limbs, resting his aching body against the trunk. Bored red eyes trailed lazily over his burnt territory, conjuring images of what these lands looked like 200 years ago.

  
The trees would still be bare of any leaves, but the beginnings of small buds would be forming soon, dotting the now black landscape with greens of all shades. There would have been more birds, too, singing loudly and filling the dead forest with music and life as they fluttered about. The first pheasants would be appearing in the forest by now, moving slowly through the snowmelt, prime for hunting. Izaya could almost taste the tender flesh on his tongue as his mouth began to water.

  
_'The first pheasant of the year,'_ his mind moaned, the mouthwatering scent prodding his senses. _'Slow-roasting it over the fire...I can almost smell the smoke...'_ Lost in his daydream, Izaya breathed in the air. _'I can almost smell...the...smoke?'_

  
His eyes snapped open, sharpening to focus as he took another whiff, his whole body tensing and his ears pricking up in high alert. Izaya's tail swished excitedly behind him as he felt the familiar feeling of giddy energy spill into his veins.

  
_'Finally!'_

  
Quickly descending the tree, he jumped from branch to branch before his feet finally splashed against the muddy ground, not caring about the swampy stains growing at the bottom of his _yukata_. Racing through the forest, Izaya ran and ran, leaping over the gorge and jumping over uprooted trees and overturned boulders, a newfound energy bounding through his body.

  
_'He's back!'_ Izaya felt a slight fluttering in his chest as the smokey scent of his favourite blond brute intensified. _'He actually came back!'_  He couldn't stop the exhilarated grin from spreading across his face as he neared the edge of his little clearing. Eyes darting back and forth as he slowed to a halt, Izaya spotted a tall figure standing stiffly in the middle in front of his tree.

  
A few deep breathes evened out his erratic panting, slowing his thrumming heartbeat. His ecstatic smile slowly faded from his face, quickly replaced by a cool smirk as he slinked out from behind the cover of the trees.

  
"Ah, Shizu-chan," he purred lowly, savouring the way the blond tensed at his appearance, "Fancy seeing you here! Are you back for more? I was almost _sure_ that you'd turned tail and run," Izaya's words were dripping with poison, his tone vile and mocking and perfectly crafted to rile up his the beast. But instead of growling out his name in his usual sing-songy manner, Shizuo remained still, his eyes calmly trained on Izaya and his sword sheathed. It was unnerving... "What's wrong? Is Shizu-chan scared? Or did he use up his final brain cell getting here," he crowed, hoping to provoke the beast and lure him into a chase.

  
But, again, Shizuo remained rooted where he was, remaining remarkably calm and keeping his temper in check. Izaya's eyes narrowed when Shizuo reached into his sleeve. Though his movements were slow and deliberate, Izaya felt a prickling of unease shudder its way up his spine. Carefully, Izaya slipped his knife into his palm, tightening his grip on the handle cautiously. Rather than a weapon, Shizuo pulled out a small package, just fitting in the size of his palm. The smell of something utterly _delicious_ wafted through the area making Izaya's mouth water with want and his grip loosen.

  
Lifting his gaze, Shizuo locked his eyes with Izaya's, startling the Fox with his forwardness. "Fox God," the name made Izaya stiffen.

  
_'No one's called me that in centuries...'_

  
"I come bearing an offering," he continued, the tension evaporating from his voice, "I want answers to a few questions."

  
_'Well, this is certainly...different.'_

  
"Phfft, what do you think you're _doing_ , Shizu-chan?," Izaya laughed obnoxiously to mask the nervousness threatening to bleed into his voice. "Is this some weird strategy your little friends came up with? Who was it!" he demanded, suddenly enraged. _'My monster isn't smart enough to do something like this!'_  "Was it the sensible one! The Dullahan? The doctor!"

  
Curling his lips into a snarl, Izaya focused his meagre amount of spiritual energy onto the fortress of Shizuo's psyche. Despite what he made Shizuo believe, the art of clairvoyance was difficult, especially when you were as low on energy as Izaya was.

  
In a split second, Izaya was in Shizuo's mind. He sifted through Shizuo's many emotions, feeling anger and rage simmering barely restrained beneath the calm surface. Izaya could hear a mantra of _'kill kill kill'_ echoing through Shizuo's mind, his killing intent so strong that it was almost suffocating. But masking all of that wrath was a calm and collected exterior, radiating with curiosity and a longing to understand. A longing that Izaya hadn't seen in someone in centuries.

  
Taking a stumbling step back, Izaya shifted his stance, aiming his blade dangerously at Shizuo's face. Izaya could feel his tail whipping furiously behind him, his animal instinct forcing his hackles to raise and his ears to press further back in hostility. "What do you _want_ , Shizuo," he spat, a vicious snarl growing in the back of his throat. He didn't even bother to use that stupid nickname. He felt his once subdued headache stab piercing white pain at the base of his skull.

  
Yet again, instead of doing what Izaya was expecting him to do, Shizuo remained still, his mind a torrent of emotions, but his surface staying stubbornly collected. Shizuo leaned down to place the sweet-smelling package onto a dry patch of muddied ground.

  
"Fox God," he tried again, "I come asking for answers."

  
"What answers do you think you'll find here, huh?" he spat, baring his sharp teeth. "You really must have fried your single brain cell, _protozoan_. You're looking even _dumber_ than you did before, and I didn't even think that was possible," he sneered, "You can't just prance over here, demand answers, and expect to get what you want. Now leave before I tear your throat out." Izaya took a threatening step forward, a nervous shiver running down his spine as Shizuo stepped down passively. _'What the hell is he doing?'_

  
"I'm coming back tomorrow to ask again, Fox God," Shizuo said stiffly, the beginnings of a low growl sounding in his throat as he stormed off.

  
Maybe if Izaya had the energy, he would have followed.

* * *

The next day followed a frighteningly similar pattern. Shizuo showed up around midday with _no_ weapons, _no_ angry growl, and making _no_ attempts to strangle the life out of Izaya as he had originally hoped. Instead, the stupid protozoan remained infuriatingly calm, his voice clear of rage despite Izaya's feral words. It seems as if Izaya was the only one losing control, his composure crumbling as he snarled and snapped at Shizuo like some brutish animal. His head felt like it was melting.

  
By the end of his little visit, Shizuo once again dropped off another offering. This time, it was a still steaming _Nikuman_ , smelling so strongly of delectable spices that Izaya couldn't help but take a bite. It was Izaya's first hot meal in years.

  
Izaya couldn't even bring himself to feel irritated when he sank his teeth into the soft, white exterior, the escaping steam warming his nose and condensing in his palm. It took all of his self-control to stop himself from devouring the rest of it in a single mouthful, the layerings of sharp flavours were almost foreign to Izaya's tongue; as if he was tasting heaven. For something that probably only cost a handful of ryo, it was enough to almost bring tears to Izaya's eyes. Almost.

  
_'But,'_ Izaya insisted to himself, shaking his mind off of yesterday's events, _'Today, I'll be ready for whatever that brute had in store.'_

* * *

Shizuo took another slow drag of his pipe, tasting the last dregs of tobacco on his tongue as they burned. Celty had taken it upon herself to see him off today, mostly to help him keep control of his quickly unravelling temper.

 

The past two days had been absolutely infuriating to Shizuo. The Flea wasn't cooperating at all. Instead, he ran circles around Shizuo, taunting and snarling threats at him, tempting his anger out from beneath his calm surface. It was startling, seeing the usually composed Flea reduced to a snarling, feral mess.

 

It had taken all of Shizuo's willpower to not grab the Flea by the neck and strangle him where he stood. Based on the way the Flea was acting, it was like he was asking to get killed! Oh well. It would be the louse's fault if he decided to stay silent.

  
[So, are you ready for today?]

  
Shizuo blew out a long stream of white smoke, tapping the ashes out of the bowl of his _Kiseru_. "I don't think I'll ever be ready, honestly," he muttered, stowing his pipe away. "If he doesn't answer me today, I'll _kill_ him. Fuck knowledge. The little shit's asking me to squeeze the life out of him," he growled dangerously, cracking his knuckles as he imagined what it would feel like to crush the Flea's skull. _'He really shouldn't be thinking like this,'_ the sensible part of his mind reasoned. _'If you kill him, you'll always be curious.'_

  
[Remember, don't be too hasty!] Celty wrote quickly, a flustered puff of smoke escaping her helmet. [Just...stay calm, ok?] She patted Shizuo's shoulder reassuringly before holding out a small parcel of sesame candy. [Good luck, Shizuo.]

  
Now, with the parcel stuffed safely in his sleeve, Shizuo traversed the familiar path through the forest, clenching and unclenching his hand as the louse's stench grew stronger. He stepped into the muddy clearing, avoiding small puddles and slippery patches as his gaze wandered to the dark figure sitting atop the low-hanging tree. Shizuo clenched his teeth as the Fox's face twisted into a strained sneer.

  
"Ah, Shizu-chan! I was wondering when you'd get here." He hopped off the tree, slinking closer to the blond. Izaya's hair was messy, tousled and unkempt. Even though he lived in such a shitty place, the Flea never failed to look composed and put together, so seeing him look so unkempt and wild was disturbing. "Don't tell me you're still going with this peaceful crap, are you?" his ears pressed flat against his head, his tail puffing up in anger and waving dangerously behind him. Izaya almost looked like a wild animal; his teeth looked sharper and his eyes more unhinged. For a split second, Shizuo could almost see the resemblance between the man before him and the man inked on the back of his map.

  
"I want answers," he finally ground out, pulling out the parcel and dropping it into the mud carelessly. "I'm not asking again."

  
The sound of delirious laughter rang through the clearing as Izaya doubled over, clutching his side as his shoulders trembled. "How _hilarious_ ," he howled, "You're in _no_ position to issue an ultimatum, my dear Shizu-chan." Flashing Shizuo a sharp smile, Izaya lunged toward him, brandishing a knife in his clawed hand. Moving with remarkable speed, Izaya caught Shizuo off guard, slashing at his face and missing Shizuo's eyes by mere centimetres.

  
Shizuo took a step back, grabbing Izaya's wrist before he could swing again and twisting the fragile limb until he let go of his blade. Izaya hissed slightly but remained undeterred as another knife slipped into his fingers from his sleeve, melting into his palm like water.

  
Withdrawing his hands, Shizuo ducked and rolled away from the other man, feeling a sharp sting in his cheek as a knife whistled past his face. From the corner of his vision, Shizuo saw Izaya crouch down onto all fours, any semblance of humanity gone from his bloody eyes as an angry snarl tore through his throat. In an instant, Izaya jumped, sailing through the air and landing on Shizuo's back and wrestled him to the ground.

  
Izaya flipped Shizuo over with ease, an unknown strength coursing through the Fox's veins as he effortlessly manoeuvred the samurai, straddling his torso with a knife pressed firmly against his jugular. Leaning down, Izaya whispered, "Do you really have that much self-control, Shizu-chan? Don't kid yourself." The knife pressed harder against his neck, drawing a thin line of blood just beneath Shizuo's adam's apple. "Come on," he purred. "Rage, my monster."

  
_'Kill him,'_ his mind roared. _'Kill him, kill him, kill, kill, KILL,'_

  
Gritting his teeth, Shizuo twisted his body beneath the skinny man with a seething roar, moving one hand to grab Izaya's wrist while the other clenched at his shoulder, pushing and turning Izaya away with a short yelp. Twisting his hands, Shizuo shot up into a sitting position, using one hand to bend Izaya's arms behind his back until he heard them snap. The other snaked to curl around Izaya's neck, crushing the Flea's windpipe and pressing his thin body against his chest so he wouldn't be able to escape. Blinded by his own rage, Shizuo didn't realize when Izaya stopped struggling; stopped twisting himself every which way and clawing at whatever he could reach.

  
"Shit," he cursed, releasing the man and watching in mild horror as Izaya's body slumped forward into the mud, unmoving. The red that had one washed over his vision began to fade. Izaya's arms were clearly broken, hanging limply at his side while his throat looked oddly caved in. Bruises were blooming across visible patches of skin, painting his body blue and black. "Shit, shit, shit," he cursed, raking a hand muddy through his hair. Sure, he had been planning on killing the Flea, but..."Damn it."

  
And then, Izaya was moving again; his chest rising and falling as his lungs gasped for air and his body twitching back to life. A strangled moan sounded from Izaya's fallen form, his awkwardly bent arms cracking back into place with a sickening crunch while an odd wheezing sounded from his throat. His once collapsed neck seemed to reshape itself in a matter of seconds, bulging out awkwardly as Izaya struggled to breathe.

  
"Shit. Um...sorry, I guess," Shizuo said awkwardly once Izaya had gone quiet. What do you say after you almost kill someone? "I, uh, didn't mean to...do that."

  
Izaya simply let out a mirthless laugh, too weak to do much else. "You couldn't have tried a little harder to kill me, ne," Izaya rasped, his words coming out scratchy and wet sounding. Coughing weakly, "Do you want to give it another try? I can't exactly run away from you like this. This is your chance, isn't it, Shizu-chan?"

  
Shizuo grimaced, moving away from where Izaya was lying to sit on an overturned stone. "M'not trying to...kill you, Flea."

  
"Really?" he asked sarcastically, his weak arms trying and failing to hold himself up.

  
"Not today, at least," Shizuo muttered. "I don't want to kill you," Shizuo repeated, looking Izaya in the eye. "Honestly. Despite what I say, I really don't."

  
Izaya barked out a humourless laugh. "What's the point in trying to lie to me, Shuzu-chan? Don't you remember my freaky mind reading powers?" Shizuo was silent. He truly didn't want to kill Izaya, though his actions spoke to the opposite. Izaya's eyes narrowed at him, probably trying to read Shizuo's thoughts again before a crestfallen look covered his face. "You _really_ don't, huh," Izaya said softly, looking hurt. "Why?"

  
"Don't look at me like that," Shizuo grunted, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. "Because I want you to answer my questions. Because you used to grant people with knowledge. That's all I want. And I hate violence. I want to be able to say that I solved something peacefully for once."

  
"And if I don't give you what you want?"

  
"Then I'll come back tomorrow to kill you," he said simply, "but I don't want it to come to that." They were both silent, the only noise coming from the soft wind blowing through the trees. Izaya turned away from him.

  
Sighing, Shizuo stood. "I should've known this would never work," he hissed to himself. Brushing off his _Kimono_ , he turned around, ready to head straight back to the Kuronuma estate and grab his Katana. He was hired to do this, anyway. This failed, so might as well just go back to doing what the Kuronuma's wanted. He almost regretted not trying a little bit harder.

  
But before Shizuo could leave, "Ootoro," came a soft mumble.

  
Shizuo stopped. "What?"

  
"Ootoro. If you bring some tomorrow...I'll...help," Izaya's words were hesitant, confused and unsure. He was probably still disoriented.

  
"Are you serious?"

  
"...A needle and thread, too." Slowly, Izaya peeled himself off of the forest floor, wincing every once in a while as he leaned against a tree. "Bring those and I'll answer you." And with those words, he stumbled off into the woods, his head hanging low in defeat as he retreated to lick his wounds.

  
Shizuo couldn't help the victorious smirk that spread across his face.

* * *

Izaya sat hunched in the deepest part of the stream. His whole body was burning; a fiery, droning ache that spread all over his scuffed and bruised body. Shivering, he dragged a handful of water up to his shoulder, the soothing coolness of it easing the heated burn of the hand-shaped bruise on his body. A single hand moved to gently cup his throat, fingers moving delicately over the swollen handprint as he took a few laboured breaths.

  
Blinking slowly down to the water, he stared back at his sorry reflection, skimming his fingers over the surface. In the light of the setting sun, the water looked like liquid fire, swallowing Izaya whole in an all-consuming blaze. Had he always looked this tired?

  
_'How humiliating,'_ his mind hissed as his fingers trailed down to his arm. _'You ran away again, just like you always do, you coward! He's the one you've been waiting for, ne? If only you'd pushed harder,'_ his psyche cooed, _'You'd be long gone if you did. That's what you want, right? Are you losing sight of yourself? And then, of all the things you could have done, you agreed to comply with that stupid brute's wishes,'_ his mind tsked, scolding him as if he were a child. _'How shameful, how disgraceful. If they saw you now, what would they think? Ne,'_  The voice in his mind morphed, _'Iza-nii? What would we think? Knowing our Shinigami has escaped his fate?'_

 

"Shut up!" he yelled, slapping the water's surface. He reached up to grab at his hair fitfully. Everything was burning; going up in smoke right before his very eyes.

  
There was a fire burning deep in his chest and at the back of his eyes, spreading down to his spine.

  
He couldn't save them... He couldn't save them...

  
Silhouetted in the sunset, Izaya convinced himself that the water droplets rippling the water's surface were just dripping from his hair.

* * *

For the first time in forever, Shizuo walked into the forest with his head held high and triumphant. He had a small slab of expensive fish in one hand and a spool of dark thread and a needle in the other, just as the Flea had asked.

  
He found Izaya in the same position he was in yesterday; sitting atop his low hanging tree with his legs curled up to his chest and his ears tilted back in hostility. Bruises were visible along his neck and wrists, peeking out from behind the tears in his ratty Yukata. Izaya's eyes narrowed as Shizuo approached. He looked like a cornered animal.

  
"Shizu-chan," Izaya greeted quietly, his tail shifting uncomfortably and bristling slightly, distrust gleaming in his carmine eyes. His nose flared when Shizuo pulled out the package. "You actually brought it..."

  
"Yeah, no shit. I actually want answers," Shizuo huffed, holding out the package, waiting patiently for Izaya to hesitantly slink toward him. It was weird seeing the Flea look so meek. So...afraid of him.

  
Unwrapping the package, Izaya took a deep whiff, his eyes fluttering shut at the scent of the pink, marbled flesh. "And the thread?" Shizuo handed him the dark spool. Inspecting the string, Izaya nodded. "Alright then," he began, his voice stiff and tentative, "You get 4 questions."

  
"The hell do you mean 4? I got you what you wanted, shouldn't I get more than that?" Shizuo's brows scrunched up in confusion as Izaya reassumed his position above him on the tree. "And get down from there. If we're talking, then I'm not gonna look up at you!"

  
"Basic etiquette, Shizu-chan," Izaya didn't move away from his spot, "How many offerings you bring is how many questions you get. 3 pieces of fish and thread. 4 questions. Simple enough."

  
"Fine then!" Shizuo growled, snatching the tuna out from Izaya's hand.

  
"Hey!"

  
"Shut up, you stinking louse!" he growled, ignoring the indignant gasp Izaya made when he began tearing the fish apart.

  
"What are you _doing_! You'll ruin the texture!"

  
"Fuck the texture! This was expensive, I'm not buying more!" He handed the package back once he was satisfied with how many pieces there were. "There. That's 10 questions," he said, smirking when Izaya pouted at the torn pieces.

  
"How cruel, Shizu-chan."

  
"Shut up, Flea. 10 questions."

  
Izaya clicked his tongue, his posture displaying annoyance. "Fine."

  
Shizuo smirked. "Good. Now get down here, will ya?"

  
Izaya complied. "9 questions."

  
"9? The hell do you mean? I didn't fucking ask anything!"

  
Izaya sighed dramatically, shaking his head, "You just did, stupid amoeba, and that was 2 more, so 7," he snorted a laugh, "How idiotic, you troglodyte."

  
Shizuo growled as Izaya laughed mockingly at him, popping a piece of mangled fish into his mouth. "Fine... What are you?" he asked, starting with a simple enough question before moving on to more difficult ones.

  
"What do you think I am?" Izaya shot back, his shoulders tensing.

  
"Answer the damn question, Flea," Shizuo growled, cutting through Izaya's evasive actions. "I'm asking the questions here, not you."

  
The Fox's eyes darted away uncomfortably, his hunched pose cold and hostile. "...I'm not a flea, I can tell you that..." he finally said, "I'm just a spirit. Nothing more, nothing less."

  
"If you're just a spirit, then why do you have a name?" Shizuo sounded annoyed, but then again, when didn't he sound annoyed?

  
"I told you before, remember? I was given a name by two very special people."

  
Shizuo's forehead creased in exasperation. "Elaborate." Izaya just sneered at him, keeping his lips tightly shut. Ruffling his hair angrily, Shizuo turned around to curb his anger. _'He_ technically _gave you an answer,'_ his mind reasoned weakly. _'Maybe a shitty one, but an answer nonetheless,'_ Shizuo sighed. "Fine then. Who were these special people?"

  
"I think you already know that answer, Shizu-chan," Izaya popped a piece of tattered fish into his mouth.

  
It took all of Shizuo's self-control to not stalk over to where Izaya was sitting and wipe that smug smirk off his conniving, deceptive features. Maybe it was his fault for believing that everything would be easy now. Maybe the Flea was just being an ass. Maybe a combination of both. "Why do you stay near Ikebukuro?"

  
"The people here are interesting. Always have been," Izaya said simply. "I told you before, I love humans."

  
_'Not the answer I wanted, but it's a start,'_ Shizuo muttered in his head. "Let me rephrase that. Why do you still stay near Ikebukuro?" his question seemed to hit a nerve in Izaya's aloof air.

  
"I need to atone for my sins," he said cryptically, his eyes dull and distant. "I need to pay for what happened."

  
"And what happened?"

  
Izaya just stared at Izaya, his eyes flashing with emotion for a brief second. _Grief, guilt, pain, loss_. "Last question," he whispered.

  
Shizuo mulled over his words carefully. "...What happened to Mairu and Kururi Orihara 200 years ago?" he asked finally.

 

* * *

Izaya was at a loss for words. _What could he say? How could he admit what he had done?_ The horrible, _horrible_ fate that he'd set those two girls on, his most precious people. His headache reared its ugly head within his mind, forcing an ugly stinging behind his eyes.

  
"I'm done," he choked, shaking his head. He stood on unsteady feet, "Come back tomorrow if you want. But I doubt you'll find what you're looking for."

  
The stinging travelled down to his chest, hammering heavy against his heart. _Could he even say that he had one? A despicable creature such as himself?_

  
He didn't want to see the expression on Shizuo's face. Wouldn't. _Couldn't_. So, Izaya did what he did best; he ran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nikuman - Meat Bun
> 
> Shinigami - The Japanese god of death, sort of like a grim reaper in a sense
> 
> Ootoro - Fatty tuna, but I bet everyone knows that already
> 
>  
> 
> Tada? Everything feels a bit rushed to me...then again, I'll always be my hardest critic, I guess. I can't write action scenes to save my life, and everything feels sort of weird tone-wise. Oh well. Once this is finished, I'll probably go back and edit everything, but for now, I'm pretty happy with how this turned out.
> 
> For the next chapter, we'll be delving a bit more into Izaya's past. Ooh! Interesting XD
> 
> Again, if there are any mistakes, please notify me! Thanks for reading, and until next time!


	7. Interlude: The Wind Whispers of Danger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, so I did some thinking, and I thought that a bit of an interlude was needed before jumping right into the past. Tsukumoya makes a cameo in this chapter(chapter? should I call it that?)
> 
> Anyways, this was a bit early and it's pretty short and it's technically not what I said it would be the last chapter, but I hope you enjoy!

A gentle breeze poured through the small clearing, rustling the leaves of the over-arching sakura tree and waking the dozing young man sitting beneath its unwavering shade. The young man yawned and stretched languidly, readjusting his legs to curl elegantly beneath the puff of his tail. He lazily reached for his coal-black pipe - which had rolled out of his grip as he slept - and craned his stiff neck, the twin silver bells entwined in his hair jingling with the movement.

  
The young man rubbed his tired eyes carefully, not wanting to smudge the red and white paint smeared delicately onto his eyelids. He smoothed out the creases forming on the delicate silk of his _Kimono_ , untangling small knots in the fur lining sleeves and his neck.

  
A stronger breeze blew across the branches of his tree, mussing up his hair and tickling the soft tan tufts on his ears. Frowning, the man looked up, glaring at the lone figure resting on one of the branches, one of the flowing light purple sashes on the figure's Kimono itching the Fox's nose.

  
"Yo, Fox-san!" The other man waved, his silver eyes peeking out from behind overgrown white locks. "What are you doing in your human form, Fox Spirit-san? Still playing pretend, are you?"

  
The fox spirit clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Tsukumoya-san...why are you back so soon."

  
The other man laughed, his whole body melting into the sky before reappearing beside the Fox spirit, much to his ire. "Ma, Fox-san, the currents to Hokkaido were especially kind to me. I got all the information you wanted. Shouldn't you be glad that I'm back so soon?" Tsukumoya pulled a notebook out from his pearly white _yukata_. "I wrote everything down, just like you wanted."

  
Flipping through the book, the Fox nodded absently. "Alright. Good. Now leave."

  
"No need to be so hostile. Can't I just come to visit an old friend? I _never_ see you anymore!" The Fox just rolled his eyes. "Now that I've so kindly answered your question, do you mind answering mine, Fox-san? What are you doing in human form?" He reached over to press a finger into the Fox's face. "It's _weird_."

  
"You're in human form," the Fox countered, smacking Tsukumoya's hand away from his face. "And don't touch me. You'll mess up my face paint."

  
Tsukumoya barked a laugh. "You're still doing this whole 'God thing' aren't you?" he asked, silver eyes shining with mirth.

  
"So what if I am?" the Fox sniffed. "People worship me like one. I've been here long enough to build a pretty good reputation for myself. Look," he pointed to the luxurious furs lining his _Kimono_ , "I got this from the Seamstress' daughter. It's amazing and soft, plus, it's warmer than your _rags_ will ever be." He pointed mockingly at Tsukumoya's yukata, flipping one the whispy purple scarves adorning Tsukumoya's shoulders and sleeves.

  
"If I'm ever cold, I'll just find a warm breeze to surf on," Tsukumoya huffed. "And if you ever get cold, you can just, uh, I don't know, _turn back into your fox form._ " Tsukumoya flicked the Fox on the forehead gently. "Honestly, you're getting too attached to this place. It'll come back to bite you in the ass later."

  
"Stop acting like you're better than me, Tsukumoya-san. I'm perfectly capable of keeping myself safe." The Fox turned annoyed eyes to Tsukumoya. "I've been here for 50 years now, and all I've reaped are rewards. Offerings, followers, loyal humans who feed me and worship me! I'm living the good life, Tsukumoya-san!"

  
Tsukumoya let out another drawn-out sigh, pinching at the bridge of his nose. "I just think that you're getting too close to these humans," he chided, "I mean, we've _never_ stayed in one place for so many years, who knows what might happen. If people start thinking you're an evil Yokai and not a God, then what? You'll be killed for sure!" The Fox just rolled his eyes.

  
"While I appreciate your concern, I'm going to have to ignore you, Tsukumoya-san." Tsukumoya gave the Fox a miffed look. "Either way, I don't think I would be able to leave if I tried," the Fox's eyes softened as he gazed up at the faraway smoke blazing from the village. "I _love_ these humans, Tsukumoya-san. And they love me, too. I can't just... _leave_ them," he sighed, turning his head to look Tsukumoya in the eye. "I can't just go back to village hopping with you. Not anymore."

  
"I'm not trying to convince you to come with me."

  
The Fox sighed, dropping his head slightly. "Yeah," he breathed. "I know."

  
"And trust me, if you die at the hands of your precious humans, I won't care _at all_ ," Tsukumoya insisted loudly. "I just...I don't want to be the one to tell everyone that your head was mounted on some rich Lord's wall," he added quietly.

  
The Fox cracked a small smile. "You should be careful, Tsukumoya-san. It almost sounds like you care about me," the Fox teased lightly, resting a reassuring hand onto the wind spirit's shoulder for a few heartbeats before retreating.

  
"Tch, in your _dreams_ , Fox-san," Tsukumoya stood, ducking under the overstretching branches of the tree as the Fox followed. "Anyways, I'm off." Tsukumoya, ruffled a hand through his messy white tresses. "There's a new medical organization growing in Chugoku that I want to take a look at. They look kinda fishy to me. I'll write down what I find," he was clearly trying to sound indifferent; aloof and uncaring if not for the concerned shade in his sterling eyes.

  
"Ah, I appreciate that," the Fox sounded, putting up his own distant air. He held out his hand, "Don't be back too soon, Tsukumoya-san."

  
Clasping his hand firmly, Tsukumoya gave him a lopsided grin. "Yeah, yeah. Take care, Fox-san." And with those words, Tsukumoya once again melted away, his form blowing up into the sky and disappearing behind the clouds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw, isn't Tsukumoya such a good friend XD. I don't know much about his cuz I didn't read the novels, so if it's inaccurate, then you can think of it as being a totally different character with an Easter egg name LOL.
> 
> The next 2 chapters will probably be solely focused on what happens 200 years in the past, so I hope you're excited


	8. 200 Years Ago: Part 1

_207 years ago, the Fox God met the Orihara twins._

* * *

 

The Fox heard the humans before he saw them. Lifting his head from his chin, the Fox sniffed the air with his ears pricked, picking out the smells and sounds of three people; one adult and two children. Giggling impishly, the Fox readjusted his posture, straightening his back into a relaxed pose and sliding his legs out from where they were crisscrossed. He pulled his pipe out from within his sleeve, settling it casually in a light grip. He managed to push a few branches up and out of the way before two girls came tumbling into his clearing, one of them laughing loudly while the other wiped dirt from her face. The loud one wore a soft yellow Kimono with an evergreen Obi while the other wore the opposite.

  
_'Twins, huh?'_ the Fox mused, _'How interesting,'_

  
Their father stumbled in soon after, looking tired and out of breath. Standing slowly, the Fox made a show of his elegant silk drapes, puffing out the delicate fur lining and lifting his head in a prideful air. Focusing a small fragment of his spiritual energy onto the father, he gave a quick reading on the man and his daughters.

  
The Fox's red eyes met the soft brown of the human's. "Welcome, Orihara-san," he purred, catching the attention of the two girls, who had begun to scuffle beneath the shade. "What is it you seek-"

  
"Pretty!" The Fox blinked as the girl in the yellow Kimono stood, her braids messy and tousled as she pointed a short finger at him. "Otousama, Kuru-nee, look! His eyes look like candy!"

  
"Fluffy," the other girl murmured, brushing dirt off of her own Kimono and pulling a dried leaf out from her own tangled tresses. "Want to pet."

  
"Yeah! Otousama, can we pet him!"

  
"Pet."

  
"Ah, girls. Respectful, remember," the man scolded, his face flushing with embarrassment. "He's a God, remember? We have to be respectful when addressing him." The man continued to chastise his children, lecturing them quietly, while the Fox remained rooted where he was.

  
_'Never has a child ever come up to me like that! How refreshing!_ ' the Fox's mind was moving a mile a minute. _'Parents can be so stern sometimes. I never get to see how they actually act. Normally they're so stiff and formal, but these girls! Humans can be so unpredictable sometimes!'_

  
"Please," the Fox held up a hand to the man, silencing him. "There's no need. They're just curious." Crouching down, the Fox gave the girls a smile. "I am the God of Information and Knowledge. It's nice to meet you." He extended a hand slowly.

  
The girl in yellow brightened immediately, taking the Fox's hand and shaking vigorously. "I'm Orihara Mairu!" she announced, a toothy grin spreading across her tiny face. "That's Kuru-nee," she pointed to her sister, who added a short "Orihara Kururi" and bowed slightly. "And that's Otousama!"

  
"My deepest regrets for their behaviour, Kami-sama." The man bowed, pulling out a small wooden container of rice. "They have yet to meet such a divine being."

  
The Fox preened softly with the praise, lifting his nose up high with pride. "And what is it you seek from me?" he asked despite already knowing the answer. Parents were coming in swarms with their children this time of year, praying for their children's wellbeing in their studies.

  
"We come seeking your divine blessing, Kami-sama. We would like to pray for their success in their studies." He pulled his daughters closer to him.

  
The Fox nodded, taking the wooden box and examining its contents. To his pleasure, the rice was still warm.

  
"Otousama. Hungry," the one in green, Kururi, whispered, her voice not subtle in the slightest.

  
"I'm hungry too!" Mairu whisper yelled to her sister, one hand clenching into her father's sleeve. "Can we get dried persimmons after?" Their father looked appalled, silencing the girls with a stern tap to the forehead.

  
"Girls," he hissed, but again, the Fox waved his hand.

  
"Ma, Orihara-san. Let them be curious." He summoned energy to his fingertips, setting them aglow with soft, golden light. "I wish you well in your studies, Mairu, Kururi." He tapped his fingers to their foreheads, the glow remaining for a few seconds before sinking into their skin. "You have my blessing." He pulled his hand back.

  
Mairu scrunched up her nose as she moved to feel her forehead. "It feels weird," she frowned.

  
"It's warm," Kururi hummed, taking her sister's hand into her own. "It's nice."

  
"Un! Kuru-nee's right! It is warm! Otousama, does it feel warm to you?" She pulled her father's hand to their foreheads. The man laughed.

  
"Why don't you thank Kami-sama for the blessing." He turned the girls around.

  
"Thanks, Fox Kami-sama!"

  
"Thanks." The three people bowed before their father lead them out of the forest, probably to scold them once more on their rude behaviour.

  
The Fox chuckled to himself, turning back to sit beneath his sakura tree, putting the box down onto his mini offering stone. "Mairu and Kururi,ne?"

* * *

The Fox hummed softly to himself as he settled onto his favourite sunning rock just by the riverbed. From his sleeve, he produced a small package, carefully unwrapping its contents and placed them onto the weathered stone. The Fox grinned to himself as he set down a small pile of rice cakes, a side of snapper, and a small saucer of sake for dessert. Clapping his hands together, the Fox gave a short prayer, ready to dig into his meal, but was stopped when his sensitive ears picked up the sound of snapping from behind him.

  
Turning, he narrowed his eyes when he heard a loud screech, sounding equally terrified and elated. A knife slipped into the Fox's palm as he braced himself for a possible attack. The pitch of the scream intensified, growing louder and louder, until...

  
"AH! KURU-NEE, STOP!" A brilliant flash of yellow streaked through the trees, her braids streaming behind her as she ran from her sister. Behind the girl, her sister followed, holding a stinking piece of rotting fruit on a stick.

  
_'What the...'_

  
"Oi, brats," the Fox called, frowning at the little devils ruining his peace. "What are you doing here?"

  
"Kuru-nee's being mean to me," Mairu wailed, leaping up and scrambling to climb the rock and sit beside the dumbfounded Fox. "She's chasing me!"

  
Kururi frowned. "Next time, clean better," she huffed, poking the foul-smelling object toward her sister who squirmed away.

  
"I'm _sorry_ ," Mairu whined, leaning dramatically onto the Fox who flinched away at the contact. _"Fox-san,"_ she droned loudly directly onto the Fox's sensitive ears.

  
"Wh-Fox- _san_? Mairu," he snapped, pushing her away as he struggled to get a grasp on what was happening. "What are you two doing at this time of day! Don't you two have school to attend?" he scolded stiffly, trying and failing to peel Mairu off of his side. ' _Damn brat's clingy...'_

  
"Homeschooled," Kururi murmured as she bent down to wash her sticky hands. "Lunch break. Bored."

  
"Yeah! So we wanted to stay with you!" Mairu nodded, extending a hand to her sister to help her onto the rock, their previous argument was seemingly forgotten for the time being.

  
The Fox rubbed at his temples, feeling a headache sparking as another tiny body pressed itself into his, a small hand reaching up to stroke the fur on his Kimono.

  
"Soft..."

  
"Where'd you get it? Can I try it on?"

  
The Fox clicked his tongue, swiftly gathering his things and jumping off the rock. "Terribly sorry, but I don't feel like playing babysitter today." He waved his hand absently. "Go back to the village and read some books or something." But the twins were persistent, following him through the woods and incessantly asking questions.

  
"Why do you dress like that? Are you cold? Where did you get the fur from? Did you kill an animal to get it? What animal? Can we try it on, please? Why do you wear makeup? I like your bells, can we have them?"

  
"Trade."

  
"Kuru-nee's right! Why don't we trade? What do you like? Okaasama grows flowers, so can we trade flowers? This place is really green, so having some colour would be nice, ne?"

  
"Jewellery?"

 

"Yeah! What about jewellery? Do you like that kind of stuff? Okaasama loves shiny stuff, and we can get you something if you want it! Do you like rings? What about those fancy hair comb things! You don't have a lot of hair though...What about-"

  
"Both of you, enough!" the Fox snapped, fur puffed up in frustration and absolutely fuming as he turned to face the two girls. "Go home and stop bothering me! I wanted to have a quiet and peaceful afternoon! Do you two even know what that means!" he snarled. Pointing an angry finger to the path leading out of the woods, "Now both of you, get out! Go home, you brats!" Internally, the Fox cringed at his own words. They sounded harsh, but human curiosity could only be so interesting before it became tedious.

  
A loud sniffle. Another. And suddenly, all out bawling.

  
"Waah! Fox-san is so _mean_ ," Mairu wailed, fat tears spilling over chubby cheeks while a few silent tear tracks ran down Kururi's face.

  
"Scary," Kururi whimpered, pulling her sister into a protective hug as Mairu's sobs grew in volume.

  
"H-How mean! W-We just w-wanted to spend t-time with you," she hiccuped, her face growing flushed. "A-And you only y-yell at us! Y-You were s-so nice buh-before!"

 

The Fox rolled his eyes disbelievingly. "Oh, please. Stop wailing-" he was cut off as Mairu's screams grew in volume. She sounded like she was hyperventilating and Kururi looked like she was on the verge of passing out. _'...Shit.'_

  
Alarmed, the Fox crouched down in a hurry, not exactly sure as to what he should do. "Alright, alright!" he stammered, hurriedly drying their eyes with his sleeve. "I'm sorry, ok? I shouldn't have yelled, and I'm sorry that I did." He bit his lip when their cries seemed to magnify. "I'm sorry, please stop crying!" The Fox was pleading. And to children, at that. "I'll...I'll give you my bells, alright? So please stop crying."

  
And like embers being snuffed out in the rain, their tears stopped, drying instantly while a smug look overtook their faces.

  
" _Really_ , Fox-san!" Mairu crowed, her sneer a little too menacing for a child her age. "How kind of you, ne, Kuru-nee?"

  
"Very kind," Kururi nodded, wiping her face with the back of her hand. "Bells please," she looked up at the Fox with her palms outstretched, looking far too innocent for someone who just put on a display like that.

  
The Fox scowled, standing abruptly. "The offer has expired, unfortunately," he said in monotone, ignoring the girls' indignant huffs. He looked back down to them with a frown. "How old are you two again?"

  
"And why should we tell you, meanie Fox-san!" Mairu stuck out her tongue.

  
"11," Kururi answered.

  
The Fox let out a strained sigh, ruffling his hair as he frowned. "Tch, 11-year-olds shouldn't be able competent enough to use crocodile tears to get what they want," he said, crossing his arms as he looked down to them.

  
_'They're good manipulators...even if they are just annoying little brats...'_

  
"I'll tell you what-" this quickly caught the girls' attention "-if you can bring me something I actually want to trade with you, I'll give them to you." He smirked as the mischevious glint returned to their eyes.

  
"Fine, Fox-san! Come on, Kuru-nee." Mairu dragged her sister out of the forest. "Okaasan might have found a few flowers we can use so we can _get your stupid bells_!" Her voice raised at her last few words, sending a fierce glare toward the Fox.

  
"Bye, Fox-san."

  
He could hear them as they exited the forest, still speaking loudly - or at least, one of them was speaking loudly - about something to trade with him. The Fox sighed, an almost fond smile worming onto his face. _'So much for a peaceful afternoon...'_

* * *

"Urgh, you two have to stop coming by so early in the morning. It's annoying."

  
"But Fox-san, it's not like you have anything better to do! Also, how would you like a new pipe?"

  
"Yours is old."

  
The Fox grumbled twisting his face into a scowl as he vehemently ignored the two girls pestering him. He instead focused on his reflection in the puddle, a graceful hand applying the red paint onto his eyelids. "Why don't you two come back later, hm?" he blinked his eye open, examining his work. The heavy dampness of summer often caused his face paint to run, so he needed to apply everything perfectly. "And I'm not trading my bells for a new pipe. I don't even smoke." It was only there for the aesthetic anyway.

  
Every other day for the past 4 months, the Orihara twins would reappear in the Fox's territory to make trade offers or to try crying their way into getting what they wanted; thought the latter incidents were becoming few and far between. They had offered him various foods, clothing, books, even an antique pot from China, but the Fox refused every time. He didn't particularly care for material possessions.

  
"Then why do you have a pipe, stupid Fox-san!?" Mairu screeched incredulously, her arms flailing about as she pouted.

  
The Fox simply rolled his eyes. "Because I do," he turned his head, making sure that both eyes were even before pointing his brush scoldingly at Mairu. "And it's Fox God or Kami-sama to you. Mind your manners, Mairu."

  
" _I'll_ mind _your_ manners!"

  
"Undeserving," Kururi deadpanned, a frown pulling at her lips.

  
The Fox clicked his tongue as he packed away his things. "Well, if that's all you wanted to say..." He gestured toward the river path leading back to the village. But Kururi shook her head.

  
She pulled out a small writing book. "We need help," she murmured, handing the Fox the book while her sister crossed her arms over her chest. It was a practice book, filled with shaky Kanji letters, repeated for a few lines.

  
The Fox frowned but relented. "Fine. Follow."

  
The twins raced after him as he made the trek back to his little patch of paradise, sitting beside him beneath his tree as they practised writing the letters out.

  
"No, Mairu. This stroke is first. You do that one second." He tapped her page. "Watch how Kururi's doing it and follow how she does it."

  
"Kuru-nee's amazing, ne, Fox-san!"

  
"Mairu. Practice." Kururi poked her forehead gently with her charcoal pencil, grinning softly at Mairu's disgruntled whine. As she turned back to the Fox, an almost surprised look crossed her normally blank face. She tugged on her sister's sleeve, "His face."

  
Mairu glanced up, letting out several giggles. "Fox-san! Your face is weird!" she laughed, dropping her notebook and tugging her sister along to lean against him. "I didn't think you even knew how to smile like that!"

  
The Fox blinked, turning away as his cheeks burned with self-consciousness. "Just... keep practising."

* * *

The Fox licked his lips in anticipation as he stared at all the offerings sitting beneath his tree. _'Ah, New Years,'_ he mused, picking up a warm bottle of sake between nimble fingers. _'Always so kind to me!'_ Almost all the families residing in the tiny village had come to visit him. Offerings were plentiful, and blessings were handed out like candy to children.

  
"Happy New Year!" he cheered, pouring himself a decent amount of sake in a saucer and taking the shot, relishing the warm burn in the back of his throat. Relaxing against the tree, he popped a cold piece of Ootoro into his mouth, tasting heaven. He blinked his eyes open lazily. "You're late, you two."

  
"Ah, shut up, Fox-san!"

  
"Happy New Year." A lopsided grin tugged at the Fox's lips.

  
"Happy New Year. I hope you aren't expecting gifts from me." Kururi's face remained passive, but Mairu's pout seemed to deepen. "Shouldn't you be giving offerings to the Gods, such as myself?" he preened, a haughty hand resting on his chest.

  
"Arrogant," Kururi huffed, moving to sit beside the Fox beneath the tree.

  
"You're so mean. Why do we have to give you this, anyway..." Mairu grumbled lowly as she followed her sister to sit at the Fox's opposite side. "Take it, ungrateful Fox-san."

  
A small parcel landed in the Fox's lap. Inside was a small pot of heavily pigmented makeup, the bright red hue looking almost like blood against the Fox's pale skin. A short note was attached to a fine-haired brush. _'Give us your bells!'_ and _'Happy New Year. Both bells, please,'_ were written in neat kanji letters.

  
The Fox snorted, flipping over the card to see a crude drawing of himself on his knees giving his bells over to the twins. "How wonderfully kind of you," he said sarcastically. "Truly, some of the kindest humans I've ever met."

  
Mairu rolled her eyes, flopping into a fluffy snow bank. "I thought it was a dumb gift for such a meanie," she huffed. _'It would look way better on me or Kuru-nee, you big pale dummy,'_

  
The Fox barked a laugh as her whining thoughts translated into his own mind. "Oh, how you wound me," he drawled, picking up the fine feather brush and dipping it into the pigment. "Come here. Close your eyes." The pout instantly vanished from Mairu's face, quickly replaced by a giddy smile as she rolled over, propping her chin up on her hands and closing her eyes daintily. The Fox smirked, leaning over to trace gentle lines over her soft face while Kururi watched. "There," he smoothed out one of the lines one last time. "You look beautiful now, just like me!"

  
Mairu giggled. "Aw, but if I look like you, then I must look _really_ ugly! Ne, Kuru-nee." She turned to her sister, scowling dramatically and puffing out her cheeks.

"Looks nice," she murmured, pushing her sister's face away playfully. "My turn?" Soon enough, both girls had matching markings on their faces, making dumb expressions at each other. "Thanks, Fox-san," Kururi murmured, pressing herself into the Fox's side affectionately.

  
"Yeah!" Mairu chirped, throwing herself into the Fox's shoulder and knocking him off balance. "You could've been nicer, though-ow!" she rubbed the back of her hand where the Fox pinched her.

  
He shook his head. "Happy New Year, I suppose..."

* * *

All in all, the Fox could say that this morning was going fairly well for him. The first pheasant of the year made an appearance in his territory early that morning, and he had spent the whole afternoon preparing it. The bird was now slow roasting over a fire, the meat glistening and smelling _utterly delectable_.

  
It was almost done. All his hard work was going to be paid off soon! ... And then, they showed up.

  
The Orihara twins emerged from the foliage, waltzing into his clearing as if they owned the place with their noses held high.

  
"Ah, Fox-san," Mairu purred, looking down to where he was sitting. "What a coincidence, finding you here. Ne, Kuru-nee?"

  
"Very coincidental."

  
The Fox rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Look, I'm not exactly in the mood for whatever you want right now, so come back later with an offering, hm?"

  
Kururi rolled her eyes. "Special day," she insisted.

  
"Yes, yes." Mairu nodded, her tone snobbish and grating on the Fox's ears. "You see, 12 years ago today, the world was blessed with the presence of the wonderous Orihara twins!" Kururi clapped softly behind her sister. "And so," Mairu continued, "we have decided to bless you with our presence!"

  
_'And just when I thought they couldn't get any dumber..."_

  
"Wow," he drawled, clapping slowly along with Kururi. "How wonderful." Mairu nodded briskly while Kururi held out her hands.

  
"We want a gift," she demanded in her reserved monotone.

  
"Yeah, sure," he snorted, turning his attention back to his mouthwatering pheasant. "I give you my blessing, my wonderful humans. Now shoo." He motioned his hands with a bored flourish, waving them away.

  
"You heard Kuru-nee! We're always giving you stuff! We want something in return!" The Fox let out a long-suffering sigh as Kururi pulled out her puppy eyes, followed swiftly by her sister. "Please!" she whined. "Just a _tiny_ little gift!"

  
The Fox looked to the begging twins, then back to his pheasant, which was beginning to drip mouthwatering juices onto the hot coals beneath. "...Fine. Sit down and wait patiently. It'll be done soon," he said gruffly, ignoring the heat burning in his ears as the two excitedly sat beside him, pressing into his sides warmly and giggling into his shoulder. "I really spoil you two too much," he huffed, carving out a few pieces of glistening meat and handing it to the twins. ' _Happy birthday. I'm glad you two were born.'_

* * *

Spring was finally beginning to settle upon the forest, twisting away the tight grip of bitter winter and replacing it with the gentle caress of sweetness and warmth. The Fox stretched with a yawn, shifting his body lazily across the sunning rock by the river. He idly dipped a finger into the cool water below, tracing patterns across the rippling surface as the bells jingled softly in his ear.

  
A soft breeze blew through the gorge, carrying with it an odd, spicy scent. " _Oni_ -san," he greeted smoothly, propping himself up on his arms and offering a sly smirk. "I must say, I wasn't expecting you today."

  
A man stood along the edge of the ravine, hidden in the shadows of the overhanging trees. A pair of gnarled, weathered horns sat atop his head, framing his russet locks like a wreath. He stepped out slowly, removing the detailed red Oni mask to reveal a handsome, albeit scarred, face. His grey, Haori-like shawl hung in tatters across his broad shoulders, trailing down his naked torso before reaching his dark red Hakama. "What can I do for you, Oni-san?"

  
The man gave the Fox a lopsided grin, crossing the river to stand in front of the smirking spirit. "Ma, Fox-san. Just making a visit, is all."

  
"Ah, yes," the Fox purred, his eyes narrowing into amused slits. "That little ghost you found wandering the cemetery. What was his name again?" He feigned confusion for a few seconds while the Oni let out an amused bark.

  
"Shiki-san. He's still completely unwilling to trust me." He shot the Fox a sharp-toothed grin. "Much like you, it seems."

  
"Ah, let's not talk about me, Akabayashi-san." He playfully switched to the ogre's given name. "What brings you here to me."

  
Akabayashi leaned against the rock the Fox was perched on, materializing a long crimson pipe from a puff of red smoke. "Rumor has it you've been getting a little close to a few human children." He busied himself with his pipe for a few seconds, lighting the end with a snap of his fingers. "I'm just curious about this little... _story_ a few other spirits have come up with."

  
"I must say, it's incredibly out of your character to suddenly begin worrying about a low-level spirit like me. Really, Akabayashi-san, if you keep this up, I just might start thinking that you _care_. You should really think about your reputation before you start making these house-visits, Red Devil-san," the Fox simpered.

  
"Oi-chan just wanted to check up on you, is all," Akabayashi grunted. "The Awakusu just want to keep all the spirits in the area safe from all humans, even a pair of harmless little girls." The Fox shot him a cold look at those words. "That protection even spreads to you, oh _great Fox God,"_ he sneered, blowing a white cloud of smoke directly into the Fox's nose.

  
Coughing, the Fox waved a hand over his face, dispersing the smoke to glare at the Red Devil. Akabayashi was a part of a 'spirit organization', or so he said, that protected the yokai in the area. The Awakusu headquarters were located within the heart of _Aokigahara_ , just below the base of the mountain. The Fox found their little administration absolutely insufferable. Limited contact with humans, staying within the territory of Aokigahara, protecting other spirits as you would yourself; the Fox scoffed at the mere thought. How could he stay away from his dear humans! They needed a God like him around to sort out their problems!

  
Clearing his throat, "I thank you for your concern, though it is completely unwarranted. My precious humans have done nothing to harm me in all the years I've lived here," he proclaimed, wondering to himself if he'd had this conversation before. "And those two little girls are just biding their boredom with me. Once they're tired of me, they'll move on like they never met me before." He couldn't quite understand why the words felt like lies on his tongue; and worse yet, they felt heavy. The Fox has probably told a thousand lies in his lifetime, yet none had ever felt this bitter...

  
"Ah, yes, well," Akabayashi waved his hand noncommittally. "Just checking in on my favourite Fox-san!" he ruffled a hand through the Fox's hair just to annoy him, ringing the bells irritatingly loud. "It was a pleasure, Fox-san,"

  
"Is it ever, Akabayshi-san?" he shot back, slender fingers carding through his hair as he reorganized the inky strands. The ogre just laughed, replacing his mask back onto his face.

  
"Oh," Akabayashi turned back around and placed a heavy hand onto the Fox's shoulder ", and I think you have visitors." And with that, he took a powerful leap up into the trees, bounding from branch to branch back toward the cemetery, probably to meet up with his favourite little ghost.

  
Clicking his tongue in annoyance, the Fox stood, realizing that his peace was ruined. Shaking his head in annoyance, he turned to fix his piercing gaze onto a rustling bush. "You can come out now," he huffed, crossing his arms in an almost pout. Two figures slunk out from the cover of the leaves, plucking stray foliage from their messy hair as they sheepishly moved to stand at the edge of the gorge.

  
"Uh, hi, Fox-san," Mairu mumbled, trying and failing to feign innocence. "We were just...wandering around, you know! We didn't follow you, we were just walking by, and we happened to see you. A-And we weren't hiding from you! Kuru-nee just saw a frog and-mph!"

  
"Out for a walk," Kururi clarified, cupping a hand over Mairu'e mouth to stop her from rambling further. "Happened upon you."

  
"Oh, really?" he scoffed, sarcasm dripping from his words. "You two really need to find something better to do with your time. Go play with your friends or something," he muttered, rubbing his temples tiredly.

  
Mairu frowned softly. "...But Fox-san, you _are_ our friend," he said in a small voice, her big brown eyes betraying hurt. "We stay here because we _like_ to stay with you."

  
"Won't get bored with you," Kururi murmured, her voice just as small.

  
The Fox's gaze softened. "...You two..." he sighed, grabbing their hands. "Stop eavesdropping on adult conversations," he feigned annoyance as he gently led them through the forest. "How much of that did you hear, anyway?"

  
"Enough," Kururi said simply.

  
"Whose Akabayashi?" Mairu chirped, her energy seemingly revitalized as she swung her arms widely at her sides, dragging the Fox's arm along with it. "Is he your friend? He looked kinda scary, but a _cool_ kind of scary!"

  
"Him? Don't worry about him. He's just a pesky spirit who likes to stick his nose into my personal matters," the Fox proclaimed loudly, sticking his nose up irritably. "He thinks he's so cool, with all his riddles, but he's just an old geezer cryptid trying to be cool." The girls giggled at his dramatic tone, clinging to his arms a little too tight to be comfortable, but for now, the Fox wouldn't complain.

* * *

The buzz of the cicada's droned throughout the ravine, buzzing loudly under the harsh summer sun. The changing of the season brought about intense heat and humidity, making the air muggy and stuffy. The Fox, now dressed in a lighter yukata though still decorated with haughty furs, had opted to spend more of his time along the water's edge, cooling his feet and resting beneath the shade.

  
Mairu was hunched over in a shallow part of the stream, cupping her hands beneath the crystal waters as she tried to catch the minnow fry darting between the rocks. Kururi, on the other hand, remained on the shore, her legs trailing along the water's surface as she leaned back into the Fox's arms with a thick book in her hands. Their father was apparently a tradesman, who just returned home today from a seaside port where he had been trading with foreign lands. Along with other spices, fabrics, and ceramic pieces, he had brought along several thick, leather-bound books for the literature archive built into their estate. One of said books was now sitting between Kururi's hands.

All in all, the Fox could say that it was a peaceful afternoon. He busied himself by weaving braids into Kururi's cropped hair, running deft fingers through her downy locks and tying off each braid with small sections of colourful string. "There," he murmured, tugging the last few strands into place. "Don't ruin that. It took me an hour."

  
Kururi looked up from her book, moving one hand through the braids with a soft smile on her relaxed face. "Thank you," her monotone voice betraying a glint of contentment as she returned to her book. Peering over her shoulder, the Fox noted the foreign script of the book. Each ink letter was strange, clearly a different alphabet than what was used here. Tsukumoya mentioned foreign languages every now and then and had even brought the Fox a few sample texts, but even he had trouble deciphering some of the words.

  
_'These letters are strange. I wonder if Otousama can help me translate them...'_ The Fox let out an amused snort as Kururi's thoughts bled into his mind. "I doubt your father would know much more than you, Kururi," he purred, a smirk slipping onto his face as Kururi turned to glare at him.

  
"...Stop mind reading. Creepy," she huffed, frowning softly.

  
"Hai, hai. Terribly sorry," his smirk widened as Kururi rolled her eyes.

  
"Ah! You're finished!" All of a sudden, Mairu came crashing behind the Fox, her wet hands coming to rest on his shoulders. "My turn!" she crowed, shaking the Fox with violent strength.

  
"Mairu," he grunted. "Get off, you stupid brat!" Kururi swiftly crawled off his lap and Mairu practically leapt across his legs.

  
"I want as many braids as you gave to Kuru-nee!" she demanded cheekily, grinning a little too innocently for the Fox's liking. But he didn't protest. He carded his hands through her messy hair, undoing knots before finally braiding her hair back into neat pleats.

  
Not 10 minutes passed before Mairu grew restless once more. "So, Fox-san," she prompted, squirming around, "do you remember that Aka-whatever guy from before?"

  
The Fox paused. "Akabayashi-san? Yes, I remember him," he responded, deciding that there was no harm in humouring the girl's insatiable curiosity.

  
"Well, why does he have a name and you don't?"

  
The Fox blinked, not exactly sure how to answer that question. "Akabayashi-san has a name because he has a myth associated with him."

  
"And you don't"

  
"...Technically no. None of my beloved humans has ever decided to give me a name," he said with a sigh. "Even though I am an almighty God!"

  
"You're no God. You're just a meanie Fox-san." Mairu stuck out her tongue and moved to pinch the Fox's hand but missed as he dodged. "But seriously, why don't you have a name?"

  
"...No human has ever given me a name," he said quietly. "Spirits generally need humans to bestow upon them names, and no one has for me yet."

  
Mairu nodded thoughtfully, finally quieting and giving the Fox the peace he needed to finish braiding her hair. With one final tug, he tied the ends tightly. "You're finished," he laid her hair flat against the pale yellow of her yukata, admiring his work. "Now, if you don't mind getting off of me, it's getting pretty hot, and I-"

  
"Mairu!" Kururi snapped her book shut and yelled for her sister in the loudest voice the Fox had ever heard her use. Crawling over to her sister, she whispered a few words into her ear, and with every word, Mairu's face got brighter and brighter.

  
"Kuru-nee! That's a great idea!" she stood abruptly, pulling her sister up with her. "I think I saw one that might fit! Let's go!"

  
"Bye, Fox-san." And before the Fox could read through their thoughts to get a grasp as to what they were thinking of, the two bolted out of the gorge, splashing through the river at breakneck speed.

  
"...What?" 

* * *

It had officially been 13 days since he last saw the Orihara twins, making this the longest he's ever gone without seeing their faces peeking out at him from between his little patch in the woods. After bolting that afternoon, he hadn't even caught a whiff of their scent on the breeze.

  
_'Maybe they actually grew bored of me,'_ he thought; an emotion he couldn't identify gnawing at his chest. _'It shouldn't bother me. This shouldn't bother me. So why do I feel like this?'_

  
He shook his head, trying to focus on the young woman and her grandmother standing before him.

  
"Please, oh great Fox God! I _beg_ of you, restore my grandmother's memory! Just for a few hours, please!" the woman's eyes were red and glassy as she crouched down on all fours, bowing at the Fox's feet. Her offering of a basket of peaches sat at the root of his tree, each round fruit looking impecibly perfect, but was it enough to fulfill a request like this? "I just want her to be able to meet my son! Her great-grandson! With all your kindness, please, Fox God!" Her voice cracked near the end, and she sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

  
The woman's grandmother sat against a large stone a few ways away, her weathered mind foggy and unfocused. Sighing, the Fox stood and gracefully lowered himself to the ground. "I will see what I can do," he murmured, stepping gingerly towards the woman.

  
Summoning spiritual energy to his fingertips, he placed his hands onto the old woman's head, closing his eyes as he sifted through her mind. He ran through years of memories, all hazy and blurred with age, before finally hitting a wall, blocking a part of her mind. He had seen this before. Walls in the mind as strong as this one cannot be broken down forever. They may be accessed for a short period of time, but the effects never lasted. He felt a pang deep in his chest as he saw how age weathered away one of his beloved humans.

  
"I can mend her mind for a short while, but the effects will not last." He looked back to the woman who was drying her eyes. "Do you still want me to do this."

  
The woman sniffed and nodded. "I beg of you..."

  
Returning his attention back to the old woman, he leaned down to touch his forehead to hers, letting his energy flow into her muddled mind. Leaning back, he watched as recognition slowly began to light in her hazy eyes. "Hana," she croaked. "Hana, what's wrong?"

  
Hana blinked tears from her eyes as she hugged her grandmother tightly. "Nothing," she breathed. "Nothing at all." Turning back to the Fox Gox, "Thank you, oh powerful Fox God." She bowed low. "Your divine powers bless this family, and for that, I thank you."

  
The Fox merely nodded, resuming his lounging position atop his tree's branches. He picked up a peach and examined it as they left, flicking off a few specks of dirt before sinking his teeth into the soft, pink-white flesh.

  
"Maa, Fox-san! You never told us you could do that! How the heck do your powers even _work_!" The Fox nearly choked on the fruit as the sudden voice sounded from just behind him.

  
"Mairu!" he coughed, quickly composing himself before he threw a coughing fit. Damn the wind, always blowing toward him... "Don't do that."

  
"Scared," Kururi teased, tugging lightly at the Fox's tail.

  
"Stop that," he snapped, slapping away their hands and ears folding back in distaste as the girls just pranced away from him. "Why do you two look so smug?"

  
Mairu cleared her throat while Kururi rummaged through a small bag. "We have a trade proposition for you!" Mairu said confidently.

  
"Can't refuse," Kururi added, finally pulling out a square of folded paper. "Perfect trade."

  
The Fox scrutinized the paper. "So you think I'll just trade away my precious bells for a piece of parchment? And I thought you two knew me..."

  
"Uh, uh, uh!" Mairu held up a finger. "It's what's on the paper that matters!"

  
Kururi unfolded the paper slowly to reveal 2 neat kanji letters. He had to squint at it for a moment before he could piece together what it said. "... _I_ _zaya?_  What is that?"

  
Kururi giggled into her hand. "For a God of information, you're actually kinda dumb, ne?" Mairu laughed.

  
"Don't misjudge my intelligence," the Fox warned. Of course, he knew what it was. Or at least what it was referencing. Tsukumoya allowed him to skim over a copy of a foreign book a few years back, and he recognized the name as being similar to the prophet Isaiah. "Why do you have a prophet's name in kanji?"

  
"Your name, dummy," Kururi murmured, handing the Fox the page.

  
"Yeah! We wrote it out yourself too! It means _The one who watches over the crowd!_ It's cool but also kind of creepy, like you!" The Fox frowned at the almost insult.

  
"Now you have a name,"

  
"Yeah! It's a really fitting name, too!"

  
The Fox stared at the paper and the kanji letters stared back. He could hardly describe how he felt. Human's, in all their lovely forms, had never _once_ given him an offering that meant so much. This wasn't just some material object that the Fox could use to his own whims, but a name that carried meaning and thought. That was probably why those two were gone for so long, slaving over something as simple as a name. They probably didn't fully grasp the meaning behind giving a spirit a name either. In giving a spirit a name, they were no longer 'just a spirit'. Names gave spirits a place among humanity, human ties in stories and fables. It would let the Fox closer to the dear humans of whom he loved so much.

  
"...Do you...like it?" Mairu's soft voice infiltrated his thoughts.

  
"Yeah. I do like it. A lot." He surprised himself by how sincere his voice sounded, cracking with underlined emotion that he rarely let seep through. The girls instantly perked up, hugging each other and whispering excitedly. "Well, a deal's a deal, I suppose," the Fox let out an exaggerated sigh before moving to unbraid the red string from his hair. He had to turn to hide the smile threatening to overtake his smirk.

  
Finally, the string came loose from the now curly strands. The bells tinkled softly as he held out his hands towards the girls. "A deal is a deal," he repeated, dropping the weight of the silver objects into Mairu's hands.

  
"Yes!" Mairu cheered, jumping high in celebration while Kururi smiled wider than the Fox- _Izaya_ -had ever seen before. "Finally!"

  
"Thank you, Izaya."

  
"Yeah! Thanks, Iza-nii!"

  
_'Of course, Mairu would call me 'nii','_ Izaya mused. "Stop yelling," he deadpanned, ruffling their hair briefly before sitting back onto his tree. "Now get over here. I got peaches."

  
Their grins were almost as bright as the sun.

* * *

_205 years ago, the Fox God received a name._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oni - A Japanese Ogre. Kinda like this:  
> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Oni.jpg
> 
> Otousama - The polite way to say 'father'
> 
> Oi-chan - Apparently, it's yakuza talk for uncle. He says in the novels I think? I've never read them. but I heard about this little detail from another fic I read
> 
> Aokigaraha - Remember Logan Pauls suicide forest thing? It's this forest. I chose it because it's located near Mt. Fuji, and the sea of dense trees landscape seemed like a good place for wandering spirits to hide.
> 
> Heyo! I know it's been a while since my last update, but I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! The next one will still focus on Izaya's past, hence the 'part 1' in the title.
> 
> Writer's block has been a major bitch to me, but all in all, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. I'm starting to realize that I'm writing everyone really OOC, and it's been bothering me to the point where I almost want to scrap this whole thing and start again TwT. Oh well...I guess that's the reason why the chapter might feel a little disjointed and stiff, other than the fact that it's just snippets of history that's meant to show what Izaya's bond was like with the twins, as well as establishing other characters and abilities.
> 
> As always, please notify me if you see any mistakes. Editing late at night always means that there are mistakes. Thanks for reading!


	9. 200 Years Ago: Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm super sorry at how late this chapter was. My excuse is that it's just...long. Like, seriously, this thing is really long. Again, sorry about the wait for everything!
> 
> I've hidden a tiny Macbeth reference somewhere in this monster chapter, so lets see if anyone can find it through your tears (Mwa ha ha!)
> 
> Also, please beware of gore and blood in this chapter! Things get pretty graphic at this point in the story, especially the latter half! I’ve added everything into the tags and I put a notice that there is graphic descriptions in this! Please be careful!!!
> 
> Anyways, happy reading!
> 
> *EDIT* May 19, 2019
> 
> For those of you who saw the poll, I want to thank you for all the input. I deleted it because I received a comment that was asking about the level of OOCness for either story, and I kinda realized that for either story line I might've written, things would get pretty OOC. I'm probably going to flush everything out later on, maybe develop a few plots that would be more IC. Thanks to the user who pointed it out to me! Anyways, sorry to confuse people from earlier who might've see, the poll, and sorry to new readers to this chapter who are just confused XD.
> 
> *EDIT* July 7, 2019  
> More edits, lol. I've done some editing to the ending bits, fixing up spelling and adding key details that I completely forgot to add. The basic summary of changes is in the next chapter.

The leaves of the trees chimed together in a soft tune. Autumn had arrived not too long ago, casting the trees in warm orange and yellow hues. The sun was just beginning to set across the horizon, bathing the clearing in a warm, pinkish light. Izaya hummed softly from beneath the cover of his tree, stretching out his fingers lazily to catch the last drops of sunlight. A soft squeak sounded from his lap as his fingers once again curled into the soft tresses of cream coloured fur.

  
The other day, a family of mice spirits strayed from their normal hideaway in Aokigahara, wandering into Izaya's territory. Izaya was practically the only spirit living in this neck of the woods, so seeing other spirits roaming the grounds had initially come as a surprise to him.

  
His fingers wandered along their short antlers, resembling those of a deer, trailing down to its fluffy pelt which was glowing with energy. Its short claws were hooked into the hem of his clothes, kneading thorn-sharp nails into his skin in contentment. The mouse chittered in response to Izaya's fingers and snuggled deeper against his palm, eliciting a soft chuckle from the Fox above. A few others were scuffling a few metres away, tossing their tiny heads as they hopped around each other like rabbits.

  
A breath of wind passed through the clearing, ruffling the tanned fur of his kimono and jostling the wooden beads braided into his inky locks. As compensation for his bells - as well as Mairu's insistence that he ' _looked naked without them_ ' - the twins gave him two thick wooden beads on a bright red string. The weight of the beads was similar to that of the bells, and the soft, hollow clacking of the wood was definitely quieter than the silvery clear chime of his bells. _'Oh well,'_ he mused, brushing the beads away from his temple. _'At least they're happy.'_

  
Izaya's ears twitched as the heavy sound of fluttering footsteps and tinny, metallic chimes rang through the woods; rustling the grass and, as always, disturbing the peace. The mice stiffened as they too heard the sound, scrambling to Izaya's side in a weak attempt to hide.

  
"I-za-nii!" Mairu screeched, crashing into Izaya's back rather painfully and startling the mice to the other side of the clearing. "Guess what we have!" she crowed in a sing-songy voice.

  
"Good Evening." Kururi bowed good-naturedly before leaning herself over her sister, adding more weight to Izaya's back.

  
"Mairu, get your fat ass off of me," Izaya grunted, wheezing uncomfortably as he pinched the skin on Mairu's forearm.

  
"Profanity!" Mairu cried, tightening her already suffocating grip around Izaya's neck. "You can't use such blasphemous language to us! And I'm _not_ fat, meanie Iza-nii!" Her every word was compounded by a shake to Izaya's shoulders, nearly sending him sprawling on several occasions.

  
"Mai...ru," he gasped, wrenching her vice-like grip off of himself while she stubbornly clung to him like a pathetic child.

  
"Mairu," Kururi chided, slipping her arms beneath her twin's armpits to lift her off like an unruly cat. "Too old."

  
Mairu scoffed at the notion. "We're never too old to mess with Iza-nii!" She opened her mouth to once again begin yelling into Izaya's ears, but her attention was quickly diverted to the tiny white mice cowering beneath the thick trunk of a tree. "They're so cute!" she squealed, leaping off of Izaya's back to approach the spirits with surprising care. "Hey there," she cooed, holding out a finger for one of them to sniff. "Kuru-nee!" she whispered delightedly once the tiny thing brushed up against her knuckle.

  
Soon, the two sisters were crouching atop the roots of the gnarled tree, giggling as they stroked the mice's fur.

  
Kururi turned to face Izaya with a confused look on her face. "Only one?" she asked, pointing to Izaya.

  
He shrugged. "Most spirits tend to stay away from places crowded with humans," he said simply, scratching one of the babies behind its ear. "Human's are always walking through this part of the woods, so most spirits stay away from here. These little guys just wandered in. They'll leave for Aokigahara soon, no doubt."

  
"Is that where other spirits live? Can you take us there?" Izaya let out a long-suffering sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose as an answer.

  
"They were probably a little lonely, being one of the only spirits living around here. The only others populating this area are aerial spirits who can avoid the traffic of humans." _'And a rather annoying wind spirit, a wandering ghost, and a prying Oni,'_  his mind supplied.

  
Mairu let out a laugh, giggling about the mice being lonely like Izaya while Kururi smiled delightedly as one of the larger mice hopped onto her hand, nibbling at the tightly woven cord braided around her wrist.

  
The day after Izaya received his name, the two had shown up with spools of bright embroidery thread, demanding that he make them a bracelet to hold the bells in place. Mairu had hers on her ankle, ringing with every step and clacking against the wood of her sandal, while Kururi kept it simple by tying the cord around her wrist a few times.

  
The jostling movements caused chiming music from the bells; the short, metallic clanging lighting a memory in Mairu's head.

  
"Oh yeah!" She patted her sides quickly before producing a small inkpot and brush. "We've got something planned for today!"

  
"Painting," Kururi elaborated.

  
"Mm-hm! Now get over here!" Izaya rolled his eyes but complied nonetheless, scooting over and bowing his head so Kururi could unwind the red string from his hair. His ear twitched slightly when Krurui's fingers ghosted beside them, tickling the fine hairs and itching his nose. The mice burred softly, piling into his lap and soaking up the energy that radiated off of him. "Why do they do that?" Mairu asked, letting go of the tiny baby in her hands.

  
"They just like me better," Izaya proclaimed haughtily, wincing slightly as a sharp antler prodded at his inner thigh, nearly ripping a hole into his prized kimono. "Now what is it you wanted to paint because you certainly are not painting me."

  
"Beads," Kururi murmured, pulling the clunky wood free. "Names on beads." She palmed the beads in her hand, waiting patiently for Mairu to finish uncorking the inkpot.

  
"Yup! Our names will be forever adorned onto those beads!"

  
"If you wanted to paint them and have them last," Izaya drawled, staring disbelievingly at the thin ink, "you should have chosen ceramic beads. Those would have been easier to find, ne? I'm sure the potter in your village would be more than willing to cook up a few for such wonderful little girls such as yourselves," he chuckled when Mairu slapped his arm lightly.

  
With as much care as they could muster, the twins each dipped their brushes into the ink and began painting on the intricate characters of their names. Izaya almost felt bad for them, seeing as Mairu had many stroked in the first kanji of her name while Kururi struggled to fit all three characters onto the bead.

  
"This is actually harder than I thought," Mairu stuck out her tongue as her shaky hands tried not to smudge the delicate writing.

  
"Bad idea," Kururi confirmed grimly, frowning at her bead.

  
Izaya could hardly suppress a laugh at the end results. Mairu's bead was smudged beyond belief, and there was no telling what could have been written there before. Kururi's was squished so tightly together that they were hardly legible, the strokes bleeding into each other.

  
"At least...at least you tried!" Izaya gasped, gripping his stomach as laughter shook his shoulders and ached at his stomach.

  
"Hey!"

  
"Rude."

  
"I-I'm sorry, truly."

  
"Liar."

  
"Yeah, you big meanie Iza-nii!"

  
Wiping the tears on his face, Izaya took the beads into his hands and rinsed off the wet ink in a puddle, drying them off with the hem of his clothes. "Try again, but just write the first character only," he ordered lightly, smirking at Mairu's disgruntled whining of _'It's too hard!'_ and _'Stupid, meanie Iza-nii!'_ Eventually, the two complied, inking in the first character of their names onto the yellow-brown wood.

  
"Uwah! They actually look kinda good!" Miaru lifted hers to catch the fading light. "Ne, Kuru-nee?"

  
"Not bad," Kururi examined her own, blowing on it softly. "Better."

  
"Leave it with me for now," he took the beads carefully in his hand and laid them onto a sandy patch of dirt to dry. "Now go home. It's getting late," he shooed them away with a single hand, turning his attention back to the herd of mice dozing on his lap.

  
Mairu stuck out her tongue before tackling Izaya once more, this time knocking him over fully. "Meanie Fox!" she cackled, squeezing him tightly before swiftly letting go. Kururi gave his hand a soft squeeze before following her rambunctious sister.

  
Snorting, Izaya petted the frazzled fur of his tail and ears back into place, fluffing the silver-tipped strands as a cool wind broke gooseflesh across his skin. The mice borrowed further into his lap, sapping warmth and energy from his body. "Greedy little things," he scoffed.

  
By the time the beads were finished drying, the moon had risen over the horizon. Restringing the beads, Izaya rebraided the cord back into his hair. His fingers trailed along the bumpy ridged of the red string and smoothed over the curve of the wooden beads, flicking them softly as the soft wooden clacking of the beads flooded his ears.

* * *

"You get _one sip_ each, understood," Izaya warned, holding the ceramic bottle high above his head. "No more than that."

  
"Stingy! Iza-nii is being stingy!" Mairu pouted, her fingers grazing Izaya's wrist as she jumped.

  
"13 now," Kururi huffed, wrenching at his arm. "Old enough."

  
"Yeah, sure," he snorted, flicking Mairu's forehead sharply. "But it was an offering to _me_. Not _you_. One sip."

  
It was the twins' birthday and both of them were insisting that they were old enough to have their first sip of sake, whining about the unfairness of their situation to an increasingly annoyed Izaya.

  
"Fine! Give me the saucer!" Mairu demanded, snatching the saucer from Izaya's hand and downing the shot in one gulp. Izaya snorted as her expression went from a smug smirk to wide-eyed alarm as the bitter sting hit her throat. "Ack!" She gagged slightly, holding her nose and shaking her head. "It burns!" Izaya tossed his head back in laughter, the sake swishing in the ceramic bottle and spilling a few drops onto his hand.

  
"My turn," Kururi snatched the saucer from Mairu's weak fingers, stepping over her sister's writhing body.

  
"You sure about that?" Izaya raised a brow and poured a small amount of the bitter beverage into the cup.

  
"Yes." She took a deep breath, cringing slightly as the sting of alcohol hit her nose. She flicked her tongue out to taste it before downing half the shot. Despite being prepared for the taste, Kururi's nose scrunched up in displeasure, coughing slightly. A hand snaked out to grab Kururi's ankle.

  
"M-More," Mairu wheezed, reaching up weakly. "Noooo, Kuru-nee..." she moaned when Kururi prodded her away, swallowing the rest of the rice wine in her cup.

  
"Alright, that's enough for you two," Izaya plucked the cup from Kururi's fingers and recorked the bottle, but not before taking a swig himself.

  
"How did you do that!"

  
"A hundred years of practice, brat," he pinched their noses affectionately. "You're both a thousand years too early to be drinking like me."

 

"That just proves that you're an old man! A stingy old man!"

  
"Older."

  
"Yeah! Once we get older, we'll be way better than you, you stupid meanie Iza-nii!" Mauri nodded to herself. "Give us 10 years!"

  
"Way better than you."

  
Izaya snorted. "Sure," he drawled. "I'm sure that in 10 years, you'll be way better than me, a being that is hundreds of years wiser than you two."

  
"Just you wait!"

  
"10 years. Way better than you."

* * *

"What in the world are you two doing," Izaya groaned, rubbing at his temples. He was really getting tired of his peace being disturbed by these two brats, no matter how endearing their distractions were...

  
"Crafts," Kururi stated, getting down and untying a rolled up bundle. Within the scratchy confines laid several stone carving tools, including various chisels and two heavy looking metal hammers. "Stone carving."

  
"We thought we'd add a bit of flair to that bland offering stone of yours!" Mairu chirped, lugging the stone, which that twice as large as her head, out into the clearing. "It can be like a real shrine!"

  
Izaya sighed for the nth time that day. "...Just...why?"

  
"Shouldn't you know, _'all-powerful mindreader_ ," Mairu mocked.

  
"Fun," Kururi grabbed one of the chisels, a small, flat head of iron about the width of her pinkie. "Name carving."

  
Izaya gave up his protesting and the girls shooed him away, adamant about keeping their work a secret from his prying eyes. They said that he was ' _being annoying'_ and that _'looking over an artist's shoulder is incredibly rude!'_

  
"Tch. What brats," he grumbled to himself, rolling over onto his stomach. He had retreated to a small nook in the forest where the spirit mice lived, invading their dugout in an ancient tree to pout. None of them seemed to mind much, though. They were perfectly content to soak up his energy, growing larger and larger as they fed until they were the size of wolf pups up in Hokkaido. "Honestly," he huffed, looking down to the mouse in his lap who was staring up at him with curious, pearl-coloured eyes. "I'm far too lenient with those two!" The mouse brushed against his stomach, poking him with its antlers as it squeaked sweetly. Izaya scoffed and tapped its twitching nose lightly.

  
"Iza-nii!" Izaya's ears pricked as he heard a shrill yell resound through the trees, echoing between the branches. The mice scrambled to hide as the girls crashed through the underbrush.

  
"Finished," Kururi stated rather proudly, a self-satisfied glint in her eye.

  
"Come on!" Mairu pulled him up bodily, leading him through the woods at a brisk pace, chattering loudly. "It actually looks really good, almost like professional work!"

  
"Really," Izaya drawled.

  
"Uh huh!" Mairu chirped while Kururi nodded from Izaya's other side. "Now close your eyes."

  
Izaya rolled his eyes but covered his eyes nonetheless.

  
"Ready?"

  
"Open your eyes!"

  
Carmine eyes opened to see a dust-covered rock at his feet. Several small chunks were missing from where the chisel skidded along the stone, carving hair-thin lines across its surface. Several shaky kanji letters were engraved into it, a little too light at some places and a little too messy at others, but still legible.

  
_Orihara Kururi_

  
_Orihara Mairu_

  
And... _Orihara Izaya_.

  
He was at a loss for words, confusion written across his pale features. "...Why did you give me your last name," he finally breathed.

  
"Don't like?" Kururi asked, looking crestfallen. The excited gleam in Mairu's eyes faded.

  
"No, no," he said immediately. "I'm just...surprised."

  
"Good surprised or...or bad surprised?"

  
"Of course it's good surprised, idiot," he poked their foreheads lightly, offering them a small smile. "I just want to know why you did it."

  
"Because, stupid Iza-nii."

  
"Iza-nii, family."

  
Izaya blinked. _'Family? I'm...family?'_

  
"Well, _duh_ ," Mairu huffed, a giddy smile spread across her features. _'Did I say that out loud?'_

  
Kururi stepped forward, grabbing his hand and giving it a small squeeze. "Family."

  
A painful sting welled up in his heart and a pressure built behind his eyes, hazing his vision. Without a second thought, he scooped them up in his arms, bringing them close to his chest and burying his nose into their hair.

  
"This is never going to happen again, so you'd better savour this moment," his words most _definitely_ did not sound choked.

  
And a few tears _definitely_ didn't spill across his cheeks when he felt two small pairs of arms wrapping around him too.

* * *

Izaya narrowed his eyes in suspicion at the two figures walking aimlessly through the forest. From this far away, his eyes couldn't pick out their proper features, but judging by the bright green and yellow patterns adorning their freshly pressed Yukata, they could really only be two people. But then, how was it possible!

  
The twins were mindless balls of energy, zooming past each other at the speed of light and never tiring despite Izaya's fervent prayers that they would slow down. These two, on the other hand, were slow, ambling along the well-trodden path and staring dazed and quiet- _actually quiet!_ \- at the woods around them. Even Mairu, with her ever-chattering mouth and words sitting right at the tip of her tongue remained silent, looking right through the woods.

  
Their sudden change in attitude was unsettling, to say the least. For such creatures of habit to act so strangely...

  
' _Perhaps_ ,' Izaya thought, ' _this is a sign from the Gods to get a life_...'

  
He could do nothing but stare in astonishment as the ever-graceful Kururi tripped over an overhanging root, faceplanting before she could even react and standing as if nothing had happened. And then, to top it all off, Mairu nearly walked into a tree!

  
"Ok, that's enough," Izaya interjected before the twins walked straight past him. He grabbed both of them by the shoulder, jolting their attention away from whatever it was that they were thinking about to the Fox spirit looming before them. "Stop doing that. You're being...strange. What's wrong with you two," he demanded blandly.

  
Kururi blinked, her eyes glassy and her cheeks strangely rosy. "Nothing," she mumbled, kicking up dirt at her feet.

  
"Why does Iza-nii assume there's something wrong?" Though her response was definitely Mairu-esque, it lacked her usual dramatic flair.

  
"Because you're both acting oddly. Just tell me so I don't have to pry."

  
"We're not obliged to tell you anything!" Mairu bristled.

  
"Yes, well, I'm asking. And I'm expecting an answer," Izaya ignored Mairu's scowl and Kururi's sharp glare. As long as there was nothing wrong with either of them, he wouldn't _do_  anything, per se, but he needed that bit of confirmation first, just to appease the unease growing in the pit of his stomach. "Just tell me. I'll...I'm only going to listen. I won't do anything," he said awkwardly, squeezing their shoulders reassuringly.

  
There were a few beats of silence before Kururi mustered the courage to speak. "It's...a new boy," she mumbled, the blush on her cheeks intensifying oddly.

  
_'Ah, so_ this  _was what was bothering them,_ ' Izaya let out a silent sigh of relief. _'Hm, I never would have thought Kururi as the blushy one.'_

  
"His name's Kuronuma Aoba," Mairu piped up. "He came from a trading town along the coast. His family's settling in the village."

  
Izaya hummed knowingly. "See, that wasn't so hard," he said snarkily, hoping to ease the girls' odd tension. "Now, tell me more about this Kuronuma kid."

  
"Well Kuru-nee likes him." Kururi let out a betrayed noise, grabbing her sister immediately."

  
"Do. Not." She glowered at her sister who was finally beginning to crack a smile.

  
"She _totally_ does!" Mairu crowed before her airway was cut off, her words coming out more as pained wheezes and gasps rather than actual words.

  
"Well, you must like him too, then, seeing as you're so quiet," Izaya quipped, smirking at Mairu's bewildered sputter.

  
"I _do not!_ " she choked out. "He's weird and lonely, kinda like you," she pointed an accusatory finger at Izaya who simply pushed her hand away.

  
"Yes, yes, very lonely," he rolled his eyes, prying a tomato-red Kururi off of her sister. "I don't care what you decide to do with this boy, but don't bring your relationship problems to me."

  
"Aren't you supposed to help all people though?"

  
"Maybe so, but not for you two brats," he grinned at the twin glares he received. "I don't care who you make friends with."

  
"He is _not_  our friend," Mairu said hotly, crossing her arms. "We're probably never even going to talk to him anymore!"

* * *

True to Mairu's word, a month later, the twins were dragging an unwilling boy through the forest to Izaya's patch of the forest. He knew this was coming, of course. After seeing how fidgety the two were over the last week, it was inevitable that he would be meeting this _Kuronuma_ _Aoba_  sooner rather than later. Izaya had taken the time to clear away a few extra leaves, settling himself in his most uncomfortable-comfortable position to wait for the twins' _not friend._

  
"Come on," Mairu's voice urged. "It's an initiation to meet our God!"

  
"Like him," Kururi's softer voice hummed.

  
Izaya grinned and straightened his posture, plastering on his most charismatic grin as the trio stepped forward. In an instant, he zeroed in on the boy between the twins. All in all, he was rather unassuming, with short stature, lightly tanned skin, and a round, rather forgettable face. The only odd feature to him was his eyes; cold and calculating and shining with a ferocity that he was sure the girls didn't notice. It almost reminded Izaya of his younger days...

  
"Kuronuma Aoba-san," Izaya grinned, letting his voice echo throughout the trees, his tone light and warm but carrying the undertone of darkness. "I was awaiting your visit."

  
"No you weren't, you big liar," Mairu sneered, sticking out her tongue.

  
"Ignore him," Kururi whispered into Kuronuma's ear.

  
Izaya let out a dry laugh, humouring the girls and beckoning them closer. "So _you're_ the one the girls have been talking about?" He gave Aoba a pleasant smile and outstretched a hand. "It's lovely to meet you. I am the great Fox God of Information."

  
"He's also a big creep," Mairu grumbled.

  
"Kuronuma Aoba," the boy responded, shaking Izaya's hand politely despite the cold wariness in his gaze. "I've heard quite a bit about you."

  
"Only the best, I presume?"

  
"That you're a big cry baby," Kururi said blandly, inciting a giggle from Mairu and a brief smirk from Kuronuma. Izaya rolled his eyes.

  
"So, do you come seeking guidance, Kuronuma-san?" he purred, carmine eyes staring straight through the boy's soul.

  
"We're just here like normal. Don't be weird," Mairu scrunched up her nose and slapped Izaya's hand away, pulling the others into easy conversation as if Izaya wasn't there at all.

  
_'Urgh, she going through a faze,'_ Izaya internally grumbled, his ear flicking in annoyance at being completely ignored. _'Oh well.'_

  
Taking advantage of their distractedness, Izaya zoned in on Kuronuma, feeling the energy that he carried with him. Izaya could feel the walls in his mind and in his heart, shrouding his thought and feelings in darkness and away from prying eyes. With the exception of Izaya, of course.

  
Peering through his mind, Izaya could see Kuronuma's memories. From what he gathered, he had a poor family dynamic, filled with years of resentment and hatred toward his parents and terrified respect for his brother. But beyond his icy exterior, there was warmth. Affection and kindness buried deep within his heart.

  
_'Well, at least he's mildly trustworthy,'_ he mused, easing his posture.

  
"Is this your way of telling me that you don't need me anymore?" Izaya called, his voice pitched high with a false whine. "That truly hurts my feelings."

  
"As if you'd ever _let_ us leave," Mairu shot back, a cheeky grin etched on her face. "Plus, you need to have someone annoy you at all times! We gotta keep your ego from getting too big."

  
"Already too big," Kururi grinned.

  
"What a valuable service you provide," he said sarcastically, flicking the two on the forehead painfully. "Ne, Kuronuma-san," he called once the girls' attention was focused elsewhere, shifting his focus to Kurnouma, who was watching the playful exchange with a calculating look. "Watch over them, ne?" He propped up his chin with his hand. His eyes narrowed and he leaned in, closing the gap between them until they were nearly nose to nose. " _Or else."_

  
"Y-Yeah. Of course," Kuronuma stammered, his eyes reflecting mild surprise at Izaya's sudden flip of character. "I wouldn't dream of doing otherwise."

  
Pulling back quickly, he gave Kuronuma an easy smile, patting his cheek a little too roughly. "Good!"

  
"Iza-nii! What are you doing! Stop being weird!"

  
"Kuronuma-kun, ok?"

  
Kuronuma blinked and turned back to the girls settling at his arms. "I'm fine. The Fox God is just more protective of you than I thought," he said, his voice silky and sweet. Izaya's ear flicked in annoyance. The kid might not be a threat, but that didn't mean that Izaya had to like him.

* * *

Izaya could smell it on the wind. The bitter tang of familiarity coupled with the biting chill of annoyance. He frowned, turning his nose to the sky. "Oi," he snapped his fingers a few times, gathering the attention of the twins sitting in front of him. "Go home. It's getting late."

  
"What!" Mairu squawked incredulously while Kururi, sitting beside her sister, just looked confused. "Why? It's not even close to sunset! You're just making up excuses like you always do! Just admit defeat!" she huffed, pointing to one of the shogi pieces on the board and whispering something to Kururi who nodded, lifting the piece. The twins had recently learned of Izaya's proficiency with Shogi, and Mairu, with the ever competitive spirit, picked up a board and demanded that he teach them how to play. Mairu had deemed them good enough players earlier that afternoon and challenged Izaya to a few rounds. Despite Izaya's expert teaching, neither of them were very good.

  
"You're losing anyway," he muttered, picking up one of his pieces and checking the twins' King. "Now listen to your elders and go home."

  
"15 now."

  
"Yeah! Kuru-nee's right! We're 15 now! We don't have to listen to you, meanie Iza-nii!"

  
After much protest, the girls began to lethargically pack everything away, whining and griping about the unfairness of the situation.

  
"Bye-bye!" Izaya called, waving exaggeratedly as the girls finally trudged away. "Keep practising!"

  
Mairu turned around and stuck out her tongue, and even with her back turned, Izaya could practically feel Kururi's eyeroll.

  
With the girls finally gone, Izaya could turn back to the sharp scent, growing closer with every second. A breeze rattled through the forest, shaking the leaves and sending a small group of birds flying away. A purple streak lit up the air, swirling elegantly through the sky and whipping up dried leaves as it landed.

  
"Ah, Tsukumoya-san," Izaya called disdainfully, holding his nose up high as the wind spirit morphed into his human form. "I can't say it's a pleasure."

  
"S'great to see you too, Fox-san," Tsukumoya replied rather cheerfully. Izaya's eyes scanned the wind spirit's form carefully, noting that his hair was tied up with golden silk thread and his billowy white yukata had been traded for a form-fitting, white and grey hakama, detailed with swirling white embroidery.

  
"I see these past 3 years have done you well."

  
"Hm?" Tsukumoya feigned confusion for a moment. "Ah, yes. Well, the breezes in Osaka were especially... _lovely_ ," he purred, letting out a deep sigh.

  
Izaya scowled. "Careful. You're starting to sound like some old pervert." Tsukumoya barked a laugh, pushing ashy-white locks away from his eyes.

  
"I see you're doing good as well, Fox-san. Or should I be using _Izaya_ -san now." His eyes glinted in the low light of the shadows, gleaming with curious intent.

  
Izaya bristled slightly, crossing his arms. "And what does it matter to you," he sniffed standoffishly. "You have a name. Why should it matter if I have one too!"

  
Tsukumoya raised his hands in surrender and lowered his head. "I was just asking. No need to get so defensive," his lips twitched as he struggled to hide his smirk. Izaya huffed again, curling his lip in disdain.

  
"So, why are you back so early. I thought you were scoping out that new organization or what not."

  
"I was." Tsukumoya turned to pull out a thick notebook, stuffed to the brim with extra sheets. "I followed them from Chugoku all the way back here. They're moving fast," his tone dipped to a quiet rumble at the end as he handed Izaya the book.

  
Izaya frowned as he rifled through the sheets; eyes glancing over hand-drawn maps, inking their path of travel, long pages of text filled with clues and details that couldn't be collected from just a glean of the words, the name Nebula repeated over and over again, underlined in certain areas. His hands stopped as they neared the end of the book. A horrifying image of a cat-deer spirit, writhing in pain on the ground as corruption spread through its back haunches. Though the sketch was rough, Izaya could imagine the spirit's expression; contorted and twisted with pain, its mouth split open as pure agony wracked its form.

  
"I managed to snag that before they left," Tsukumoya said quietly, snapping Izaya out from his trance. "They're doing experiments. On spirits."

  
"... Where are they now?"

  
"A few towns over, maybe?" he ruffled a hand through his white hair. "Possibly closer at this point."

  
"So they never reached Aokigahara?"

  
"No, but I think they're planning on finishing up experiments before getting here." Tsukumoya moved so he was standing in front of Izaya. "You understand what this means, right?" His hands shot up to plant firm on Izaya's shoulders. "I've seen what these experiments can do. They corrupt the soul, they rip spirits in half, _possess_  them!"

  
"Control," Izaya breathed.

  
"Exactly." They both stood silent for a few seconds. "I think...I think they're coming for you."

  
Izaya blinked. "What?" he asked incredulously. "What would they want from me!" Tsukumoya gave him a pointed look.

  
"You already know the answer to that."

  
And of course Izaya knew. They were finishing up their experiments, ready to be tested on spirits higher than your common cat-deer. Izaya would be their final test run, a final confirmation that their experiments would be a success on higher spirits before moving to conquer the thousands living in Aokigahara.

  
"Could they do it?"

  
Tsukumoya nodded grimly. "They have everything ready, and you're their final prize."

  
Izaya flipped through the notes again, his fingers tracing Tsukumoya's familiar handwriting, scribbled messily across the page and filled with gruesome details of Nebula's experiments. "...Well, thank you for this, Tsukumoya-san," he managed after a minute, swallowing the lump in his throat. "If...If you find anything else, come and find me. That will be all."

  
A hand gripped his shoulder, the blunt nails digging into his skin. "Izaya-san," Tsukumoya said, his tone low and serious. "Izaya-san-"

  
"I know what you're going to say," Izaya interrupted, his own hand moving up to grip Tsukumoya's wrist. "And you already know what I will."

  
Tsukumoya's gaze hardened. "You don't understand. You have _no clue_  what they're capable of! Why can't you get it! They'll... _deal with you_ once they get their hands on you! They'll tear you apart, corrupt you from the inside out! You would _never_. _Survive_ ," his tone rose to a manic yell, his eyes panicked and pleading. "Come with me," he begged. "You still have time to leave with your life! You can settle in some other village and run this charade, but you can't stay here! _Please_ , Izaya-san..."

  
Izaya was unable to meet Tsukumoya's sterling gaze, unable to face the raw emotion hidden behind those white locks. "You know I can't," he finally whispered, tipping his head forward so the shadows of his hair hid his eyes. "I can't just...leave."

  
"But you _can_ ," Tsukumoya insisted. "Please. You're...You're my friend. My _best_ friend. I don't want to see you..."

  
_Dead_. They both knew it, but neither was willing to say it out loud.

  
Izaya let out a shuddering breath and lifted his gaze to meet Tsukumoya's, pushing down the urge to turn away once again when he saw how glassy Tsukumoya's eyes had become. "I can't leave. I can stop them before they spread their corruption any further." He squeezed Tsukumoya's wrist. "I can't leave."

  
The air between the two spirits was silent for a few heartbeats before Tsukumoya let out a sigh. "Yeah...I know..." He closed his eyes for a brief few moments before opening them and stepping back. "But it was worth a shot."

  
Quickly composing himself, Izaya nodded. "When can I expect to see you next, Tsukumoya-san, and please make it a few years. I quite enjoy the peace without you blowing through," he sneered, putting on his best mask of normality to conceal the tremor-inducing fear running rampant through his veins.

  
Tsukumoya let out a humourless laugh. "I'll be back sooner if it annoys you more." His joking tone fell flat. He cleared his throat. "Well, I'll be...off then." He held out his hand, a slight tremor running through his fingertips.

  
Izaya extended his own shaking hand, clasping Tsukumoya's in a death grip. "Don't be back too soon, Tsukumoya-san," he whispered, squeezing his dear friends fingertips.

  
The wind spirit let out a laugh that sounded more like a sob. "Yeah...Take care, Izaya-san." And with that, Tsukumoya stepped back, releasing Izaya's hand. "I'll be back soon." Tsukumoya melded into thin air, morphing into a bitter-sweet breeze.

  
"See you soon, Tsukumoya-san," he finally whispered once Tsukumoya was out of sight.

  
Izaya knew in his heart that this would be the last time he would ever see the wind spirit again.

* * *

Izaya crossed his tail over his paws for the nth time that hour, stretching his stiff limbs before resettling onto the sun-warmed roof tiles. The morning after Tsukumoya's goodbye, Izaya decided that he might as well pay a visit to the new _residents_  of his favourite town. He easily singled out the foul organization, singling in on an inconspicuous building; one that smelled bitter with fear and reeked of blighted spiritual residue. He was currently resting on a building a few winding streets away in his fox form, observing from afar with his enhanced vision.

  
Of course, a black and silver fox resembling the village God was sure to attract attention, and Izaya had managed to gather a small crowd beneath him, all gasping and pointing and whispering among themselves. A few of them were even carrying offerings for the surprise visit; and it truly pained Izaya to have to ignore his beloved humans, all of whom were excited to see him! All of whom were staring in awe and admiration for the great God of Information! All of whom were roaring with different emotions and thoughts, no two exactly alike! They were all so interesting; so lovely; so utterly... _human_! And Izaya _loved_ them! He loved them all so much, how could he not shower his beloved humans with all the affection and care in the world-

  
_'Focus, Izaya.'_  He internally slapped himself. _'I'm going on a tangent. Again.'_  Shaking his head, he reluctantly pulled his focus away from the crowd of humans and back to the building in question. Focusing energy behind his eyes, his vision magnified and he spied...

  
Doctors. Each of them more boring than the last, toting around supplies from different carts and chatting politely with passerbys. There was nothing suspicious about anything! They all just seemed like normal people with nothing to indicate that they were torturing and killing spirits or their own benefit. The only interesting new development was a young doctor who had apparently begun choking upon breathing in the air and had to don a mask to _filter the air around him_. ' _Tch. What a weirdo.'_ But other than that man - _Kinoshita? Something along those lines_ \- were all perfectly and utterly normal. Boring, even. At this point, Izaya was more interested in watching the masked doctor bemoin the poor air quality than look for clues of Nebula's nefarious deeds.

  
Other than the sour scent that they carried in the wind and the evidence of Nebula's misdeed from Tsukumoya's notebook - which was now stowed carefully in the mice's hollow tree - there was nothing to indicate that anything was happening.

  
Closing his eyes, Izaya willed away some of his energy, shifting again so he was lying on his side. A part of him wanted to leave; to instead spend his time in the village people watching. Maybe snag a few offerings here, receive the odd worshipping compliment there. Just enjoy himself. But, the other, more sensible part of his mind chided him to stay; to remain wary of the _dreadfully boring humans that made him want to crawl into a hole and die_.

  
_'You would be running away,'_ his mind scolded. ' _You_ never _run away from a fight. You aren't some coward!'_ Izaya rolled his eyes at himself. _'Am I that bored as to begin conversations with myself?'_

  
He groaned slightly as he stretched, scratching his chin by rubbing his head against the edge of a roof tile. A soft breeze ruffled his pelt, cool air staving off the heat of the midday sun and carding like soft fingers through his fur. Izaya parted his lips ever so slightly, tasting the sharp tinge of spices in the air from food stalls and the foreign scent of traders and merchants ambling about the streets.

  
All of a sudden, the warm, familiar smells of Ikebukuro vanished, quickly replaced by the acrid scent of blight, stronger than the stale odour that lingered through the streets. Leaping into action, Izaya raced across the rooves of Ikebukuro, his claws sliding against smooth stone tiles as he scrambled from roof to roof. Ignoring the quiet words of protest, Izaya ran as swiftly as he could, following the bitter blight to its source. In an instant, Izaya stopped, hiding in the shadows of the curved eaves of a neighboring building, just close enough to get a better view, but far enough to keep himself out of danger.

  
His gaze snapped to a sheltered cart. The ox that was driving it was tied up and restrained, its head bobbing and pulling at the ropes angrily as it pawed at the paved stone impatiently. The agitated animal let out a sorry-sounding noise as one of the doctors approached, stamping its hind legs threateningly. Carefully, the doctor grabbed a small crate, covered by a heavy cloth, too thick to see through.

  
Upon being picked up, the crate rattled several times. A low moan followed by high pitched hissing noises emanated from the crate, and the doctor could do little but try to hush the creature within. Izaya watched with thinly veiled horror as a dark, clawed paw reached from behind the cloth; its fingers twitching, clenching and unclenching as inky black liquid ran like sludge down its nails, staining coarse black fur. The stench coming off of it was enough to make Izaya gag and hide his nose behind one of his paws. The doctor flinched away from the creature's hand and used the cloth to push the limb back into the confines of its cage. The doctor hurriedly rushed the crate into the building followed by several others, all of whom were whispering amongst each other.

  
Another faceless doctor reached into the cart to grab another cage, but Izaya had seen enough. He felt sick; dizzy and nauseous to his very core as his limbs trembled with the effort to keep himself upright. Izaya felt the heat of a gaze burn into his side. Turning his head, he met the eyes of a young man with scruffy brown hair and two, oddly placed moles at the sides of his eyes framing his boring face. Izaya felt paralyzed by that gaze; that unassuming, utterly boring face chilled him to the very bone.

  
It was only until the man began to move his lips and point at Izaya did his shocked stupor seem to undo itself, sending lightning through his veins in the form of adrenaline.

  
And for the first time in his life, Izaya ran like a coward.

* * *

"What the heck do you mean _stay away from me!_ " Mairu demanded, fisting her hand into the fabric of Izaya's yukata.

   
"Iza-nii, sick?" Kururi questioned softly, reaching up to feel Izaya's forehead.

  
"I'm fine, Kururi. Thank you for your concern though." He gently batted Kururi's hand away and clasped her wrist in a soft grip. "Completely unlike your sister, if I might add," he sneered playfully, poking Mairu in the ribs.

  
"That's not the point, Iza-nii!" Mairu huffed. "And answer my question, oh omnipotent God," she drawled.

  
"Hmm..." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully as if he were considering Mairu's words. "Nope! Bring an offering next time, it's only customary, after all." Mairu growled loudly, pulling at her braids in frustration. "Calm down, you brat." He pulled her closer until she was sitting next to him. "I just...I think it's about time you two separate from me. It's probably not healthy for two girls your age to only be socializing with a Fox God and a boy who's crazier than me."

  
"And why, exactly, would we want to do that?"

  
"Because..." For once, Izaya struggled to find the words for Mairu to understand. After his encounter with Nebula, he had raced all the way home, ducking under his tree and curling into a defensive ball; his muscles strung taught on worry of a surprise attack. He still had no sense of Nebula's true abilities, but judging by Tsukumoya's notes and Izaya's own contact with the organization, his future was looking bleak. Izaya knew that it wasn't exactly a secret that the Great Fox God of Ikebukuro had a soft spot for the Orihara twins, so it would only be a matter of time before Nebula found out. And when they did...Izaya couldn't bear to imagine what might happen to them. What might happen to the two most precious people in his life.

  
"...Because I said so," Izaya declared firmly. He knew better than to disclose the whole _'Spirit corruption, Izaya's impending doom'_ thing to either of the twins. It would only cause them more grief and put them in more danger than they were already in. Cutting ties with the twins was the only way to keep them firmly out of harm's way, in Izaya's mind, and once he was set on something, he would follow through until the end.

  
"Oh, come on!" Mairu let out a noise of exaggerated disgust. "That's a stupid excuse! You're such a liar!"

  
"Hiding something," Kururi accused.

  
"What? Me? Why I'd never!" Izaya responded in his own exaggeratedly aghast tone. "I'm just thinking about what's best for you two, and that would be to go out and make enough friends so you can't count them all on one hand."

  
"But _you_  can count all your friends on one hand, stupid Iza-nii!" Izaya's ear twitched in annoyance at Mairu's jab.

  
"Sound stupid," Kururi muttered, pinching the back of Izaya's hand none too lightly. "Something's wrong."

  
"Nothing is wrong," he insisted, pinching Kururi back. "I'm just doing what's best for you." ' _And I don't want you two to get any more involved with the spirit world than you already are. I care too much for you two to let you stay with me and risk your lives.'_ "Now go home. Find Kuronuma-kun and have fun."

  
Mairu just scowled and stormed off, her nose held high in the air as she stomped off like a child throwing a tantrum. Kururi sighed and followed her sister. "Be back tomorrow," Kururi said firmly, fixing Izaya with a hard frown before following her sister.

  
Once the finally turned away from him, Izaya let out a tired breath and eased his posture. He rubbed at his aching chest absently as their figures disappeared through the foliage.

* * *

The twins were back the next day despite Izaya;s countless warnings, interrupting Izaya's nap by the riverbed. Or at least, he had _tried_  to nap, but the ache in his chest and the premonition in his veins prevented him from fully relaxing.

  
"Iza-nii! We're back and we brought stuff!" Mairu yelled despite the short distance between them. "Look! Okaasama made steam buns, and we'll share with you if you tell us what's up your butt!"

  
Izaya groaned in response turning away from the rowdy teen. "What part of _Go away_ do you not understand," he mumbled. "Go be social, would you?"

  
"No fun." Kururi pushed the Fox with more force than he was expecting and nearly sent him sprawling into the water. "Stop moping."

  
"I am _not_  moping," Izaya hissed defensively, digging his nails into the stone so he could keep his perch. "I'm serious. Go home."

  
"' _I'm serious. Go home'_." Mairu mocked, scrunching up her nose and dropping her voice a few octaves in a crude imitation. "Stop acting like you're some troubled story protagonist," she said loudly. "Here."

  
A soft white bun was pressed into his hands.

  
"I'm serious," he insisted again, though his resolve was definitely weakening. "Go home. It's not sa...it's not _healthy_ for you to only socialize with the village spirit."

  
Kururi's arm looped around his own as she sat beside him. "We are home," she smiled at him, that soft grin that shone with so many emotions for such an emotionless girl.

  
_'Ah, there goes my resolve.'_  Izaya knew that he would some to regret this, but in the moment, it just felt right. 

* * *

The next few months were entirely uneventful. Izaya had taken to observing Nebula every week or so, watching them carefully and tasting the air for any sign that they might attack, but nothing happened. They were biding their time for some reason; but why, Izaya couldn't pinpoint. He was thankful for the time, however. It gave him the opportunity to make weapons, a whole stash of them, from the rocks in the surrounding areas. He used to make knives a lot during his time with Tsukumoya, and he now had a blade stashed in every corner of the woods.

  
Humans were still visiting with offerings laden in their arms, meaning Nebula wasn't trying to convince the people that he was a threat to their lives. He made sure to give a quick scan to just about everyone, picking up minor details about Nebula here and there.

  
As usual, the twins came over often. Izaya tried a few more time to convince them to leave, but they were all in vain. The Orihara twins, it seemed, were stubborn when it came to their company. Kuronuma made a few odd appearances here and there, looking awkward and out of place; his eyes still cold with the rarest flicker of warmth when his gaze settled on either of the twins. At first, Iazya had the inkling of suspicion that the Kuronuma family was somehow in on the whole _Nebula_  scheme, but from what he picked up from the boy, it wasn't the case. He had even come once on his own, looking bitter and defeated as he swallowed his pride and told Izaya that he truly did care for the twins. It was rather funny.

  
All in all, everything was oddly normal. So normal, in fact, that Izaya began to lower his guard, losing focus on the threat that Nebula posed to everything he cared for.

  
And what a mistake that was.

  
Izaya worried at his lip as he checked under the next bush, praying that he would eventually spot a glimpse of cream fur and pointy antlers.

  
Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

  
The last Izaya had seen of them was a week and a half ago when he and the twins paid them a visit. Before, there were a good 15 of them here, hopping about and chittering against Izaya's palm. Now, all that was left was their scent, stale and old. The stale spirit trail ended just north of Izaya's territory; abruptly turning sour, only to be overcome by the acrid, foul odour of Nebula.

  
A twinge of guilt and shame ran down Izaya's spine. _'I should have known better,'_  he berated himself. _'Those mice were so_  vulnerable _! And yet I just let them roam free when there was danger so close by.'_

  
He was half tempted to follow the trail; to grab a few of his knives and drive Nebula out before they could reach their greatest prize...

  
"Iza-nii! There you are! I was starting to hope you had drowned instead." _'Ah, there's another problem...'_

  
Izaya let out a long-suffering sigh. "Ah, Mairu! Always a pleasure to see you as well." He ruffled her hair roughly, ignoring her indignant squeak as she tried to duck away. "And here _I_  was hoping you had decided to stay home and give me some peace. What a shame."

  
"Rude." Kururi pulled Mairu out of Izaya's grip, smoothing down Mairu's birdnest of locks so it vaguely resembled the shape of her head. "Whenever we visit...Iza-nii's mean."

  
He smirked at Kururi's irked tone, rumpling her hair just as roughly as her sisters. Brushing dirt off his yukata, "As much as I love seeing your lovely faces here all the time, I'm afraid I'm a bit too busy today," he said smoothly, keeping his fears on the whereabouts of the mice family hidden beneath his offhanded tone.

  
"Busy? Busy with what?" Mairu asked, tilting her head in confusion.

  
"Wandering," Kururi pointed out.

  
"Kuru-nee's right! All you're doing is wandering around." She reached out to slip her hand into Izaya's. "Stop trying to find excuses, stupid Iza-nii."

  
The twins dragged him away from the scent trail, ignoring Izaya's protests as they went.

  
Once they got back, to the overhanging tree, Mairu was already going through the motions of uncovering the small shogi box, stashed safely between two rocks.

  
"Aoba-kun taught us a few tricks."

  
"Finally beat you," Kururi said, a fire burning behind her eyes despite her monotone words.

  
"Yeah, sure," Izaya hummed disbelievingly. They were still adamant that their constant defeats were 'throwing off his rhythm' and that they would 'beat him any day now'.

  
As per the usual, halfway through the game, Izaya was winning and the girls were scrambling to keep their pieces on the board.

  
"Nooo!" Mairu wailed, peeking through her hands as if she couldn't stand to watch. "Our _Fuhyo_! You _monster_!" Izaya rolled his eyes at her, claiming the piece for himself. "He was so close," she moaned. "So close to being a _Tokin_!"

  
"That's why you learn to be more discreet about your moves," he scolded lightly, smirking at Mairu's pout. "Next time, try actually _whispering_ instead of-"

  
Before Izaya could finish his sentence, a foul stench surged through the area, sending shivers down his spine and raising his hackles. He whipped his head around, standing and withdrawing a knife in one fluid motion; tail bristling and teeth bared. A low growl sounded from his throat. Izaya ripped his wrist away when he felt slim fingers brush past his pulse. "Get down," he hissed, his tone firm and unyielding. "Don't come out until I say you can." Though they didn;t understand what was happening, the girls scrambled away; cowering behind the thick trunk of a tree with their eyes peeking out ever so slightly.

  
Taking in a deep breath, Izaya stilled his breathing, tuning his ears to every light _snap_  and _crack_  that echoed through the woods. Though the foul odour was faint, he could sense it moving closer at an alarming speed; too fast for it to be a human. Steeling himself, he shifted his stance wider, dropping his knees and ready to pounce at a moments notice.

  
The rapid sound of crackling low to the ground grew louder in Izaya's adrenaline-high ears. The scratching of claws sounded sharp and unnerving as they scraped across stone.

  
Gritting his teeth, Izaya threw his knife, just barely grazing the dark figure that leapt through the underbrush. The creature was small yet stocky, with its ears reaching to just under Izaya's waist. Thick, black fur hung shaggily across muscled limbs, a few bare patches here and there revealing horribly scarred skin. Its eyes were wide and black as night with red veins snaking across pitch-black scleras. A guttural wheezing sound rattled through its throat as if it were choking; its whole body wracked with shivers as it seemingly struggled to breathe.

  
But the most horrifying part of the corrupted beast was standing atop its head. A thin, black crown of twisted, gnarled bone rested just above its ears; adorned with cracks and chips and sharpened to a deadly point. The creature stepped back onto its powerful haunches and reared its head back as it let out a shrill, screaming noise.

  
It was as if a boulder had rolled over his lungs, a thick cord of rope cutting through his chest as he stared at the scarred, mangled body of one of the mouse spirits he was searching for not one hour ago. A strangled, horrified noise escaped his throat when the creature let out another pained moan. The sound ran through his veins like liquid fire, burning shame through his limbs. His knife all of a sudden felt hot in his trembling fingers as he fumbled with the blade, squeezing the handle to suppress the violent shaking of his fingers.

  
' _This was all my fault,'_ his mind gasped, _'If I had protected them better, or done something sooner, this never would have happened! How can I kill it...how could I hurt this poor creature even further...'_

  
Too caught up in keeping his composure, Izaya didn't notice the way the corrupted spirit craned its stiff neck to stare at the girls, saliva dripping sticky strands and glistening against razor-sharp teeth. With a feral cry, the spirit lunged, crashing through the tree the twins were hiding behind and splintering the wood with ease. The terrified screams snapped Izaya out of his trance-like state, and he leapt at the beast, who was stuck trying to yank its antlers out from the fibrous wood.

  
_'...I may be the cause, but I can still keep them safe...I won't let you hurt them!'_ The adrenaline that seemed to pause in his moment of crisis soon resumed, heightening his senses and rushing energy through his body. _'I'm sorry...'_

  
He ran forward, ducking low to get out of the way of the beasts swiping claws, slashing out his knife toward the neck of the poor spirit, slicing a gaping tear in the beast's throat. Black, tacky blood ran down its chest, making wet gurgling noises every time it took in a breath, but before the spirit could bleed out, the flesh around its neck began to sew itself back together. The clean tear mended itself, leaving behind an ugly scar and wet patches of fur.

  
' _So they_  do _still have some spirit qualities,'_ Izaya noted as the beast gave a hard yank, feeing its antlers but snapping its neck in the process. _'They can only be injured by mortal weapons, but not killed.'_ Its head hung limply at an odd angle, but it was somehow still moving, still putting up a fight.

  
Abandoning his knife, Izaya quickly transformed into his fox form, pouncing on the beasts back while it was writhing in pain. The spirit let out another infernal scream, tossing about its head and bucking angrily as it struggled to fling Izaya off of its back. Izaya stubbornly held on, sinking his claws deep into the muscled of the creature's back and biting hard at the junction of the spirit's neck. He bit back a yelp of disgust as thick, viscous blood seeped between the pads of his feet and wetted his tongue. The taste and scent were absolutely foul; sour and bitter and revolting with corruption.

  
The creature slammed into another tree, knocking over the innocent shogi board in the process and forcing Izaya off of its back to avoid being crushed. It let out another low groan, dropping its head into its paws and scratching over its eyes and ears hard enough to bleed.

  
Snarling, Izaya paced around the spirit, watching it closely for it to reveal its belly. Finally, the spirit reared up once more, stretching its haunches as its neck snapped back into place with a wet _crunch_. Before the spirit could attack, Izaya sped forward, snapping his jaws up to hold firmly at the creature's jugular while his back claws raked across the beast's stomach, sharpened by a concentration of his spiritual power. With one final downward swipe, the spirits innards were spilling out, falling like thick black worms slathered in more viscous black goop. It let out one last piercing cry before falling, dead.

  
As the creature fell back, its skin began to bubble and fizz, hissing in a high pitched whine as the corruption began to nullify, melting away to reveal the cream white fur and elegant antlers of the mouse spirit.

  
Izaya panted harshly as he stepped away, his limbs trembling and giving out beneath him. The blood on his tongue burned like acid, racing corruption through his veins. His body twitched and spasmed as his own spiritual energy fought to retain control and fend off the burning corruption. Izaya threw himself out of his animal form, hissing as his bones creaked and elongated into a familiar human shape.

  
 _"'I...ya! Pl...Iza...ii!'"_ a voice called, sounding far too quiet and way too loud at the same time. Blinking his eyes open blearily, he could see two blurred figures in his line of sight, their mouths moving but making no sound.

  
He let out a soundless groan and leaned up onto his palms, retching loudly as thick globs of black corruption were heaved from his stomach and lungs. It was bitter and everything burned, but at least he wasn't corrupted. Exhausted, he fell back, just inches away from his own fizzing vomit.

  
"Iza-nii! Oh, Kami-sama, are you ok?" the voice called again. In Izaya's lighter mind, he could recognize it as Mairu. He could feel small hands all over his body.

  
"Iza-nii, hear us?" Kururi called. Izaya could only grunt in response, tightening his hand around the fingers in his palm. "Thank Kami-sama," she breathed. Izaya could feel himself being enveloped into a tight embrace. There was something wet tickling at his collar.

  
"Thank Kami-sama, you're alive," Mairu's voice was shaky and terrified. "We thought...we thought you..." unable to finish her sentence, she let out another sob and clung to Izaya harder. "What _was_  that!" she finally demanded, wiping her eyes messily. "That...that _thing_ that attacked you! Why is it one of the mice? Since when do they look like that?" she wailed.

  
"Almost...killed Iza-nii," Kururi whimpered, wrapping her arms tighter around his torso. "Iza-nii almost died!"

  
Izaya closed his eyes, tightening his own arms tightly around the twins. _'I'll tell them later,'_ he promised to himself. _'But for now...I just need to know they're ok...'_

* * *

"...So that's why you wanted us to leave?" Mairu murmured. Izaya pressed his lips into a thin line and nodded.

  
Izaya could no longer prolong the inevitable. He could no longer just put off telling the twins about the horrors going on within their very own village. He spared them the gory intricacies, but he filled them in on the major details; that the organization they knew as Nebula was conducting experiments on spirits, corrupting their souls and using their discoveries to build themselves an army. They looked horrified to say the least, especially when Izaya got to the part about Nebula's main goal in coming to Ikebukuro.

  
The twins were hauntingly quiet, mulling over the details in their heads while Izaya took another bite of rice. Yesterday's fight was tough, especially for a spirit who rarely got into fights that he needed to take care of; and Izaya had lost most of his spiritual energy fighting off the corruption that threatened to overtake his body.

  
The experience was terrifying. Being at the mercy of an outside force that was nearly powerful enough to corrupt Izaya's own soul...he shuddered just thinking about it. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt Kururi press to his side.

  
"Iza-nii...still in danger?" she whispered, looking up at him with wide, fearful eyes. Izaya felt his throat close up, unable to meet her gaze.

  
"You two are more in trouble than I am," he deflected. "Nebula knows you have close ties with me. They'll exploit that weakness and try to hurt you."

  
"But we're asking if _you're_  in danger!" Mairu protested, her voice cracking in the middle of her sentence. "If Nebula wants to...take control of you, shouldn't you leave! Get away from this place before they can get to you?" she demanded, grabbing at Izaya's bicep to pull him closer. "Why didn't you leave when you found out, stupid Iza-nii..."

  
"I couldn't leave," his throat constricted painfully on a lump of emotion. "I love this place too much for me to just get up and leave. Not only that, but I'm the last defence between Nebula and Aokigahara. There are thousands of spirits there, and Nebula would have a field day if they ever made it there. I can't leave them defenceless." Izaya internally cringed at his self-righteous words. He felt like some tragic hero, spouting nonsense about protection and self-labelled responsibility. In the end, he was just excusing his idiotic actions.

  
Mairu shook her head, struggling to find the words she needed. "That's...well, what are you going to do now?" she gave him the same doe-eyed look as her sister. "You can't stay here any longer than you already have."

  
"Not safe here," Kururi agreed, clinging tightly to Izaya's hand. "Need to leave and find somewhere safe."

  
"I'll be fine," he grunted. "I can handle myself. You saw that yourself, didn't you?"

  
"Almost corrupted," Kururi reminded, her tone serious. "Have to leave." Izaya rubbed at his temples. He really _should_  leave, shouldn't he?

  
"Is there any way you can...fix corruption or something?" Mairu asked desperately. "It's not like we want you to go away! You're family, Iza-nii,"

  
"I'm not sure," he answered grimly. "I'm not well versed in corruption myself. I honestly doubt that I can reverse such deep-set blight."

  
"Try?"

  
Izaya let out a sigh and nodded tiredly. "I can try, but again, I doubt I can do anything to reverse something like this." He stood carefully, remaining mindful of his aching limbs. Limping slightly, he shuffled his way toward the carcass of the corrupted mouse. Most of the corruption had seeped out of the spirits soul. It instead bled out into the grass, staining the long, green blades black as soot. Using the blunt end of a long stick, Izaya poked through the grass, cringing as a wave of stench washed over him from the jostling.

  
"Don't touch it," he said gruffly, his words muffled through his sleeve, which was pressed tightly to his nose. "I don't know if humans can be affected or not." The twins nodded, stepping gingerly around the large black stain.

  
Just being in the presence of the corruption made Izaya's stomach turn and his blood freeze in his veins. An uncomfortable tingle wormed up his spine as he prodded at the stiff body. Izaya suppressed a gag as he corpse crumbled, caving into itself as a heap of black and white mush. He could feel the remainder of corruption spilling into the air, burning Izaya's nose as he quickly stepped away from it. He reached out to grab the twins' shoulders, pulling them back with him. "Don't breathe in," he hissed.

  
Once they were further away, Izaya removed his sleeve from his face. "Are you alright?" he demanded, inspecting their faces and hands for any signs of corruption. "Did you breathe in anything? Did anything touch you?" He blinked in surprise when Mairu's hand flew up to slap his hand away.

  
"I'm fine," she snapped, glaring at Izaya with contempt in her gaze. "Stop touching me!"

  
Izaya narrowed his eyes. "Fine then, no need to be so snappy."

  
"Shut up!" Mairu all but screamed, her eyes livid with sudden rage. "You're so _annoying_! I wish you would just get corrupted and leave!"

  
"Mairu! Stop!" Kururi yelled, grabbing onto her sister's wrist. "Just making sure you're ok-" She was cut off when Maiu twisted her wrist and scratched at Kururi's eye. "Mairu..." she whispered, her hand coming up to cup her cheek where Mairu's nail had skimmed her. Whipping her head around, "Something's wrong," she whimpered to Izaya, who was standing, absolutely dumbstruck.

  
Narrowing his eyes, Izaya scanned through Mairu's mind, searching to find the cause of her sudden rage. Unsurprisingly, he found that corruption had wormed its way into her system, latching on to her and manipulating her emotions. "Mairu," he called cautiously, raising a non-threatening hand in her direction. "Come here."

  
"No!"

  
"Come here now. You've been corrupted. I need to get it out of you."

  
" _No!_ Don't _touch_ me!" With a rush of speed, Izaya closed in on her, wrapping his arms around her tightly and gritting his teeth as she began to punch and kick at whatever she could reach. "Get _off_  of me!" she screeched, gnashing her teeth and snarling profanities.

  
Ignoring her thrashing, Izaya clonked his forehead to hers, instantly silencing her as his energy flowed through her system. With the corruption being as minimal as it was, it was an easy task to purify her system, the corruption escaping her body in the form on an inky black tear. Slowly, Mairu moved her arms to enfold around Izaya's waist, her hands fisting into the back of his Kimono.

  
"I'm sorry," she gasped. "I-I don't...I don't know what happened."

  
"Shh, it's ok," he murmured, closing his eyes when he felt her shoulders shake. "It wasn't your fault. I shouldn't have let you two so close to the corruption."

  
Once she calmed down, he relaxed his hold on her and let go, Kururi instantly taking Izaya's place and latching onto her sister for dear life.

  
_'This isn't good,'_ Izaya's mind buzzed with a million different possibilities; a million different scenarios in which the twins would be put in harm's way and...and killed. _'If they stay with me, I might be able to protect them, but Nebula might just come after me. But if I keep them in the village, they could be corrupted too.'_

  
"You need to leave," Izaya said out loud, catching the attention of the twins.

  
"Not going home-"

  
"No, not home. Away from here. Far away from here," he interrupted Kururi's sentence. "Out of Ikebukuro."

  
"No. Way," Mairu sniffed, her voice a little choked. "We can't leave you here. It's not safe for you."

  
"It's not safe for _you_ ," he snapped, months of pent up emotions spilling into his tone. "It's not safe for you," he repeated softly, one hand cupping Kururi's cheek while the other wiped the dark tear track off of Mairu's face with his sleeve, careful to not let it touch his skin. "You can't live here anymore. The fact that Nebula had the guts to send in one of their corrupted spirits means that they're growing bolder. I can't fathom what they might do to you if they get any more desperate." he closed his eyes, willing away the growing sting behind his lids. _'I can't have either of you die on me,'_ he continued in his mind as he brought them closer once more. _'I would never forgive myself...'_  

* * *

A week passed and Izaya was attacked again. This time, in the inky darkness of night, Izaya stood no chance of victory and resorted to hiding in shame. Like a coward. Every time one of their cries sounded in the increasingly chilly air of winter, Izaya flinched back, his finger curling around his useless knife as if it would provide some kind of barrier between the beasts and himself.

  
Every human living in Ikebukuro, including the twins, had been banned from entering the woods for Izaya's and their own safety. Every time the twins encountered the Fox, he would turn them away, sending them home with crestfallen expressions and an ache growing in his heart.

  
_'At least I have a plan,_ ' Izaya reassured himself as he trotted through the shady alleys of Ikebukuro's streets. Peeking his head around the corner of a small building, he spied the Kuronuma estate, looming tall and proud under the winter sun. Izaya carefully gauged the distance between the building and himself. He knew that if he was out in the open for too long, people would spot him; making his already dangerous trek through Ikebukuro all the more treacherous. Flexing his haunches, he leapt forward, sprinting across the street as a blur of black and silver before darting into a bush. Looking behind him, it didn't appear as if anyone saw him, but Izaya couldn't breathe a sigh of relief just yet. Crouching low to the ground, he made his way, bush to bush, toward the estate.

  
Izaya parted his jaw slightly, sifting through the sea of smells trying to pinpoint the cold, cautious scent of one Kuronuma Aoba. His nose led him to a small, fenced off area filled with carefully swirled pebbles and a few ice-covered trees. Carmine eyes settled on a person, sitting alone along the edge of a dark wood floor with a cup of steaming tea in his hands.

  
Steeling his senses, Izaya carefully stepped out from the cover of the foliage to sit on top of a rounded stone, curling his tail over his paws in a weak attempt to retain his image of superiority despite the fact that he was begging at someone's feet to help him. It took Aoba a while to notice Izaya sitting where he was, but once he did, Aoba was on his feet, an unhidden scowl on his face as he stared down at the Fox. He was bigger than Izaya remembered. A little taller and a little broader than when they had last met. He was probably taller than Izaya, at this point.

  
"Fox Kami-sama," he greeted stiffly, not bothering to bow or mask his disdain. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

  
"Ma, Kuronuma-kun," Izaya purred, morphing back into human form to lean against the trunk of a tree. "Can't I just make a friendly visit?" Izaya chuckled at Aoba's lack of response. "Well, I _do_  have something I wish to speak to you about," he hummed, "Care for a listen?" Hesitantly, Aoba sat back down, shuffling away from Izaya with mild disgust on his face when the Fox decided to sit next to him. "Ah, I'm so tired," Izaya sighed, propping his chin up with his palms. "It's just getting so _cold_ now, ne, Aoba-kun?"

  
"Please just get to the point, Fox Kami-sama."

  
Izaya couldn't help his snort of laughter at Aoba's deadpan tone. "Patience is a virtue, Aoba-kun! The more you push, the more you push away!" he said matter-of-factly, smirking at Aoba's annoyed glare.

  
"...You... _care_  for Mairu and Kururi, ne," Izaya said after a few heartbeats of silence.

  
"...Yes. Of course, I do."

  
Izaya hummed thoughtfully, his throat constricting tightly around his words. "What would you be willing to do to keep them safe?"

  
Aoba's eyes narrowed suspiciously, his grip tightening around his cup. "Anything," he answered sincerely, looking anywhere but Izaya's eyes. A faint blush crossed his cheeks as he cleared his throat, "I would do anything to keep them safe, even if that means keeping them away from you."

  
Izaya let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Good." Shock was written over Aoba's face, clearly not expecting Izaya's answer. "Marry them, and once you do, take them far away from here." Again, Aoba gaped like some stupid fish, his face contorting on confusion. "Take them to somewhere else. Somewhere new or something. Drag them to where you grew up, I don't care where. Just far, far away from this place. Please."

  
"Why," Aoba finally managed, his calculating nature giving way to honest confusion.

  
"They aren't safe here," Izaya replied grimly. "I...care for them too much to allow them to keep themselves in harm's way," he turned his head to lock eyes with the boy. "And I only trust you to keep them safe." Izaya could practically hear every one of Aoba's thoughts as they whirled through his mind. _'What danger? Why me, of all people? Who, or what is out to hurt them?'_

  
"Why should I believe a word that you say?" he finally demanded.

  
"If you're as smart as I gave you credit for, you'll _listen_ to me, boy," Izaya hissed, his tail whipping dangerously behind him as he bared his teeth. "Don't question me. Just listen and follow." Izaya stood abruptly. "I'm trusting you to keep the most precious people in my life safe, understood?" He loomed over Aoba, glowering down at him with such intensity in his gaze that Aoba had to look away.

  
"Understood, Fox Kami-sama," Aoba bit out, his words fierce but his eyes reflecting genuine worry for the Orihara twins.

  
"Good." It felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from Izaya's shoulders. Now, he had a contingency plan for when things go awry, a safe space for the twins to retreat to so they were out of danger. Izaya held out his hand, "I'm counting on you, Kuronuma Aoba." Aoba stared at Izaya's outstretched palm of a few seconds before taking it into his own.

* * *

2 days after meeting with Aoba, Izaya finally lifted his ban on the forest. There were humans wandering practically everywhere, bearing early New Years offerings and receiving blessings for the oncoming season. Izaya sighed as he waved away the last two, an eager young couple expecting their first child. He pitied them, in a way. That baby would die before it would be born, but he didn't have the heart to tell them the news.

  
He frowned at the powder-blue sake bottle they had gifted him, feeling a little too guilty to uncork it just yet. Izaya's ears pricked at the sound of something crashing through the forest.

  
"I-za-nii! Mairu cried, barreling through the undergrowth and crashing into Izaya's chest, nearly knocking him into his pile of offerings. _'At least they seemed happier than before.'_

  
"Mairu," he hissed, pushing her lightly from where she was sitting on his chest. "Get...off."

  
"Mairu," a softer voice called, pulling her sister off and away.

  
"Ah, but Kuru-nee! I'm excited!" she turned sparkling eyes to Izaya. "We have good news!"

  
"Great news," Kururi corrected.

  
"Mm-hm! We're getting married!" she squealed, hugging Izaya closer.

  
Izaya blinked as if he was surprised. "Married? Both of you?"

  
"Aoba-kun," Kururi said, excitement just as clear in her monotonous voice. "Secret marriage."

  
"Yeah! He asked us yesterday. We can't officially get married as three without one of us being considerd a concubine, so he's going to..." she trailed off, her cheerful attitude dimming. "He's taking us to where he grew up. We'll be moving there after we turn 17," her tone was more subdued, a note of sadness peeking through her words.

  
"Well...of course, I'm happy for you," Izaya began, cringing at the falseness of his tone. For someone who could lie as easily as breathing, he found himself choking. "I'm...glad you will be happy and safe."

  
"Don't _want_  to leave," Kururi murmured dejectedly. "Want to stay but..."

  
"We just..."

  
Izaya gave them a soft, pained smile, grabbing their hands in his own. "You don't have to justify your happiness, you know," he said, speaking slowly. "If you want to be with Kuronuma-kun, go with him."

  
"...That's surprisingly the best advice you've given us in all the years we've known you."

  
"Rude," Izaya huffed, pinching Mairu's nose as he breathed a silent sigh of relief. _'They believed me...'_

  
"So, when exactly will I finally find peace again?" he purred snarkily, masking the ache in his heart. "I want to know when I'll be able to get my naps in the sun again." Mairu pushed him lightly, laughter bubbling in the twins' throat.

  
"Soon enough," Kururi giggled.

  
"We still have plenty of time to annoy you to death, stupid Iza-nii!" Mairu chirped.

  
For a brief moment, Izaya could forget about all the hardships they had been going through this past year. About Nebula, and corruption, and the fact that he would be losing his two closest people in all the world. But at this point, Izaya knew that there was no going back to the easy days of sitting around chatting about trivial things.

  
"...Will _you_  be safe?" Mairu finally asked.

  
Izaya was silent for a few minutes. He closed his eyes, simply content to listen to the breeze running through the trees and feel the constant soothing thrum of their heartbeats against his skin.

  
"Iza-nii?"

  
He sighed, breathing their comforting scents, warm and familiar, and nostalgic of so many moments...

  
Izaya wished he could stay in that moment forever.

  
"...I'll survive..." 

* * *

For once, the golden hour was silent. No screeches of the corrupted as they began to invade, no rustling of foliage signalling an oncoming attack, nothing. Just the setting sun and its caressing rays to keep him company. He breathed in a lungful of cold winter air, the chill nipping at his nose and blushing his cheeks a warm pink. One of his fingers traced lazy patterns onto the support if the branch beneath him, his nails picking at loose bark and listening to the soft noises they made as they fell to the ground. Izaya breathed out slowly, watching his breath fog into tiny clouds before disappearing into the peachy-red sky. It was nice...

  
"Yo, Fox-san." Ah, there he was.

  
"Akabayashi-san," Izaya didn't bother opening his eyes to look at the Oni. He didn't move to acknowledge his presence as the tree branch above him dipped and swayed with the added weight. "I was wondering when you would pay me a visit."

  
"Ah. Apologies, but Oi-chan's not here to see you," Akabayashi said with a raspy laugh. "I'm just here to pick up my little ghost. He's just finishing up with his goodbyes, you see." More rustling from above him. "Do you mind if I smoke?"

  
Izaya's only response was a sigh. "Shouldn't you be guarding Aokigihara right about now?" Izaya murmured, his tail swishing slightly in the breeze.

  
"I _should_  be," he agreed, "but I need to get the last few stragglers before we close up the spirit rift."

  
Izaya blinked at his words. _'Close up the spirit rift? Was that even possible?'_

  
The spirit rift in Aokigihara was a massive tree with a hollowed out centre. Surrounded by massive amounts of spiritual energy, it was a portal to the spirit plane; a doorway of sorts allowing spirits in and out of the mortal plane of existence. There were only a handful of others across Japan, and there were no doubt a few here and there in lands afar; but closing them would take huge amounts of energy and could send the whole energy equilibrium out of balance.

  
"...Is that even possible?"

  
"It better be," Akabayashi grunted, blowing out a stream of soot-black smoke, a harsh contrast to the softness of the clouds above. "We can't just relocate thousands of spirits to other parts of Japan."

  
Izaya craned his head to glance up at the Oni. "I wish you luck in your endeavours, then, Akabayashi-san," he said, deciding not to delve too far into the details. "Try not to get yourself killed."

  
Akabayashi barked out a laugh. "Please, Fox-san. I don't think you're in any place to tell _me_  not to get killed," he chuckled, sending a spark of apprehension in Izaya's chest.

  
"I'm not going to go with you if that's what you're going to ask," Izaya huffed, sounding snappier than he intended. "I'm not leaving this place."

  
Akabayashi just nodded, tapping a few glowing embers from the end of his pipe. Izaya watched the ashes tumble down like burning snowflakes; like sakura petals aflame in the wind.

  
"It was worth a shot," he hummed. "That wind spirit friend of yours practically begged me to get you out of here. It's too bad he'll never be able to see his friend ever again."

  
"I'm not changing my mind, Akabayashi-san. Even if Tsukumoya-san asked you to." Izaya flinched at the mention of his friend, the ache growing exponentially worse in his chest.

  
After that, they were silent, with Akabayashi blowing black smoke from his lungs and Izaya staring off into the horizon, breathing in the last dregs of nicotine in the air as if the numbing effects could ease his mind. He watched in a daze as the black smog rolled up, climbing higher and higher as if it were attempting to dye the sky the same shade. Finally, Akabayashi tipped out the last of the ashes and stood, brushing fine hairs of shredded tobacco off his dark clothing.

  
"We're closing the rift in two days time at dawn," Akabayashi grunted, re-donning his mask and jumping away, rattling the tree with violent tremors.

  
"...Say hello to Shiki-san for me," Izaya whispered to the air, breathing dark smoke deeper into his lungs. It was almost comforting.

  
A terrified scream resonated in the distance. 

* * *

A young man huffed softly, re-crossing his legs beneath the _Chabudai_  as his toes began to go numb. This man was no doctor. He was simply the son of one of the researchers, unwillingly dragged along and relocated to this boring village with boring people for a boring research project. The only solace he had was the Fox spirit himself; beautiful and dangerous and possessing power that the man couldn't yet comprehend. He had seen the spirit on the first day he was trapped in this forsaken town, spotting him nestled in the shadows on a building, watching with the most alluring, blood-red eyes. The Fox was like a dangerous wildflower, covered in delicate petals the same shade as those stunning eyes, but hiding a _mamushi_ just beneath its elegant leaves.

  
He sighed longingly, opening wrinkled eyes as he twirled his fingers around the handle of a custom fuyuki. His patience had long since run dry, and he promised himself that tonight would be the night. ' _I_ _can't wait to kill it...'_  

* * *

The forest was a blur of colours all around Izaya as he raced through the forest. Panic coursed through his veins, freezing his blood and making his heart clench in a vice-like grip.

  
That scream. That bloodcurdling, terrified, _heartwrenching_  cry made him shudder with terror. How could he be so _idiotic_  as to not see this coming! To not see this destruction coming over the horizon, cresting into the tragedy before him. Now, without the dull scent of smoke invading his nose, he could smell the coppery tang of blood in the air, growing thicker as he neared the gorge. It was strong enough that he could taste it in the breeze; the bitter iron burning the back of his throat making him gag.

  
Gritting his teeth, Izaya willed himself to run faster, ignoring the burning ache in his lungs and the fire racing through his calves. Izaya finally made it to the gorge just as the last of the sun was setting; the sky shading blood-red and violet.

  
The images would forever be seared into his mind.

  
There were two bodies lying half in the river, drenched in icy water with crimson blooming in the silk of their clothes. One of their faces was just visible from beneath its mess of hair, revealing a terrified face; mouth open in a silent scream. The other had their hand outstretched as if it was trying to crawl away; dirt and pebbles caking their bloody fingers. In the dim light, he could just make out shapes, long and dark like thick, fat worms sprawled across the area, thrown haphazardly in a gruesome painting of crimson and copper. He didn't bother to stop himself as he doubled over, retching violently as an amalgamation of horror and disgust settled in the pit of his stomach, weighted with guilt.

  
With a hand over his mouth, Izaya stumbled closer, holding a trembling hand to his mouth to prevent the anguished screams from escaping his throat. His breathing hitched violently when he staggered within a metre of the first body, biting hard at the flesh of his palm as his throat closed. He collapsed as soon as he stopped, his jerky movements throwing him off balance as his shaking legs gave out on him. Thrown to his knees, Izaya lurched forward, extending a trembling hand to touch the waxy, pallid face of the girl lying soaked in the river.

  
A sob tumbled past his lips and he pressed his eyes tightly shut, feeling tears burning into his cheeks. The once joyful face of Orihara Mairu was lying face down in the icy cold water, her limbs splayed out and her torso tucked into itself. Her innards spilt from 3 large gashes in her stomach, her intestines unfolded and splattered against the cold water, their connective tissues struggling to hold everything together. Izaya could see layers of skin and muscles from where the incisions were, clean and untattered. In a daze, Izaya placed a useless hand to the rip in the fabric, trying in vain to stop more blood from pooling out of her tiny form. Another mournful cry choked through his lungs.

  
She was still warm.

  
"Mairu..." he sobbed, cradling her face in his own blood-soaked hands, painting Mairu's face red with her own blood. "Oh, Mairu...I'm so, _so_  sorry..."

  
And then there was Kururi, lying right beside her sister with her arm thrown over Mairu's legs. He crawled closer.

  
A fresh wave of grief shuddered through his heart when he saw Orihara Kururi, her eyes still wide and terrified, but there was no life in them anymore. It was pouring out of her in dark rivulets, slathering the stones with the bitter stench and making Izaya's eyes water. She had her arms outstretched, crawling to her younger sister, the multi-coloured cord on her wrist steeped with red and the scuffed silver bell sticky with blood. There were still tears on her lashes.

  
Summoning the little strength Izaya had left, he dragged the girls out of the river - _they would be cold, otherwise_ \- and laid them as gently as he could over the smooth pebbles of the shore.

  
As gently as he could manage, he brought their heads into his lap, cradling their bodies closer as he sought the last of their living warmth. Not two days ago, he had been speaking to them, laughing with them and mourning their departure with them. Where had it all gone?

  
Izaya couldn't help it. He hunched forward, drawing the stiff corpses closer to his sides. He willed for their arms to start moving again, for them to wrap around his waist. For them to get up and laugh at him like this was all just some elaborate joke, and that they had tricked him. That they were fine...

  
A tear slid down the arch of his nose, falling onto Mairu's face and mixing with the blood coating her cheeks. Gnawing at his lip, Izaya reached down to wipe the tear away, smearing the bloody colours onto a cold, lifeless canvas.

  
If only his cries could wake the dead.

* * *

The young man stooped low as he waited, hidden in the bushes. Lazy eyes tracked the Fox's shaking form as it collapsed at the riverside, bringing the corpses into its arms and holding them close to its chest. Wiping his still-sticky hands, he readied his blowdart, fingers skimming along the smooth wood of the barrel. Steadying his _Fukiya_ , he aimed the nozzle at the spirit's back, squinting in the low light of twilight as he focused the end to just above the Fox's pelvis.

  
From his vantage point, the man could see the Fox tilt its head back, eyes tightly closed and ears drawn back as he let out a heartwrenching cry. _'The perfect moment.'_

  
Bringing the end of the _Fukiya_  to his lips, the man blew the dart.

  
The lone dart sailed through the chilled winter air, cutting through the thick blanket of blood-soaked stench. It was ugly and gnarled, bubbling and fizzing along the heavy metal edge of the needle. Dangerous blight coated the sharp end, tinting the barrel an ugly black-red hue. Carved deep into the wood was a seal; the twisted kanji letters just legible. It would tie the Fox to Nebula forever as their beautiful dark rose. A matching seal was sitting somewhere within Nebula, waiting to be activated.

  
Without making a noise, the dart embedded into its target; the needle sliding between the Fox spirit's vertebrae just above its tail, sinking deep beneath tissue and spreading quickly through the Fox's system. The carved kanji letters seemed to roll off the barrel of the dart, sinking deep into the surrounding tissue like a tattoo before beginning to glow red. The spirit's agonized wails soon morphed into pained snarls as it struggled to fend off the corruption coursing through its veins, pulsing out in waves from the bright red seal at its spine. It had little time to react as corruption blazed through his blood, sinking deep into its tissues and overpowering its soul.

  
With a pained shout, the Fox jerked its body, gripping its head as it let out a low moan. The man, still hidden in the safety of the bushes, watched in awe as Fox's form began to distort, its bones creaking and snapping with sharp pops as it writhed on the shore in agony. Gasping for breath, it flung itself into the river, screeching and howling as blight began to bubble through its skin, burning pale flesh as its red veins became more prominent, snaking through its body like delicate vines. Its jaw let out a sickening wet crack as it popped out of its socket, its teeth growing longer and sharper while the front of its face seemed to elongate into some kind of demented snout.

  
Its nails and fingers began to elongate into claws, sharp and dark beneath the pale moonlight. The Fox began scratching at bare patches of its skin, shrieking as the skin along its back burst, sending bits of untainted skin to splatter wet against the rocky cliffs of the gorge. A second tail seemed to split off its original one, waving slowly in tandem with each other. Thick black sludge ran down its limbs, dripping into the river and dying it the same shade of black.

  
And finally, the gorge was silent. The spirit's shrieking had died down considerably and was instead hunched over itself, panting and wheezing for air.

  
_'It's beautiful,'_ the man decided, watching in awe as the Fox managed to pick itself up, rolling its jaw several times before its blood red eyes snapped to the bush where the man was hiding behind. Those eyes were utterly paralyzing, the same shade of deadly crimson with slitted pupils and pitch black scleras, reflecting an eerie shine despite the way it seemed to suck the light out of existence. And most stunningly, there was darkness leaking from its eyes, thin like water but dark like the blight simmering through its body. _'Almost as if it were...crying.'_

  
He was paralyzed by the sheer beauty the demon exerted, practically pinning him in place with the force of its stare. He could hardly move when the Fox lunged for him.

* * *

'What...what is this?' _Izaya blearily blinked open his eyes and was faced with darkness. There was nothing around him for miles around. It surrounded him, suffocating him in pitch black._

  
'But there is,' _his mind cooed, urging him to get up._ 'Just look around you...don't you see?'

  
_See...what?_

  
_There was suddenly red light backing his vision, saturating with a bloody red glow. Faintly, he could see the outline of two corpses, their bodies mangled beyond belief._

  
_But they were standing, their chests moving and their mouths opened to speak._

  
 _"_ You did this to us," _one of them hissed, stepping closer with her with a hand keeping her intestines inside her body._

  
"You should have died," _the other one whispered, disgust and disdain dripping from her words._ "...Hate you."

  
"You stupid Fox!" _the other one screamed, making Izaya flinch back._ "You should have died! Not us! You did this to us! You did!" _she screamed, pointing an accusatory finger at him._ "You did!"

  
_Izaya felt his lungs heave, gasping for air that he couldn't seem to breathe. He reached out an arm to hold them, to pull them into his arms and beg for their forgiveness, but his limbs felt like they were moving through syrup, slow and sluggish and unable to reach them before they turned away._

  
"Come back," _he pleaded, reaching out as quickly as he could, but the twins extended far out of his reach, not even looking back._ "Please..."

  
_He collapsed, the shaking of his legs returning as pain bloomed in his lower back and heat sparking behind his eyes, melting his brain into mush. He could hear everything and nothing at the same time. There was something screaming, fuzzing his thoughts and making his ears ring._ "Ngh..." _he moaned, grabbing at his head as the pain began to crescendo, growing from a dull ache to an agonizing stabbing, pulsing through his body in sharp waves and sending shockwaves of pain through his jaw._

  
_Izaya let out another pained cry as his skin began to bubble. It felt like there were insects crawling beneath his skin, writhing and squirming and itching to burst from his skin. With a sob, Izaya dragged his nails -_ when had they gotten so long? _\- across his sin, freeing maggots and worms trapped beneath his dermis._

  
'Shh...it's ok,' _his mind whispered, cutting through the dark haze in his psyche._ 'It's all going to be ok...Once you kill _him_.'

  
"Kill...him?" _Izaya gasped._

  
'Yes...' _his mind purred._ 'Yes, everything will be ok once you kill him. He did this, you know?'

  
"He did this..." _A foreign scent flooded his nostrils; sharp and bitter, metallic like blood._ "He did this...it's all _his fault_ "

* * *

 

All of a sudden, the noise in its brain stopped, leaving the Fox blanketed in silence. The only sound around it was the Fox's own blood rushing through its veins and the wheezing of its lungs as it struggled to breathe. It was as if the air had suddenly turned to water; thick and heavy and weighing its lungs down.

  
The Fox managed to pry its eyes open, but everything was still dark, too dark to discern anything. Rolling its aching jaw, it tasted the air. The same sour, bitter stench wafted over its tongue, making it shudder in disgust. Snapping its head around, its vision brightened enough to spot a figure poking their head out from behind a bush.

  
It was blurry and dim and everything moved as if it was in slow motion, but the Fox saw it. The same man from before who spotted it in front of the Nebula building. An uncontrollable rage bubbled at the pit of its stomach, rumbling through its veins and clouding its bleary vision.

  
A low snarl tore through the Fox's throat...or...did it? Everything felt hazy and dreamlike, like everything that was happening wasn't actually happening. But right now, the Fox's brain could hardly care. Not when the murderer of its most beloved people was standing right there, vulnerable and still.

  
The man's eyes widened slowly when the Fox lunged for him, his mouth opening slowly and his eyes widening in what the Fox could only assume was shock. A shrill cry sounded from the man's lips, but it was cut off when the Fox rammed their heads together, trailing off into a pained grunt.

 

The Fox could feel memories flooding into its own corrupted mind. Distorted images of the man luring the twins into the woods, urging them deeper and deeper still until he was able to corner them.

 

Screams and pained wails; tears and blood and blades cutting through flesh. The Fox's name screamed into the frigid air, taught with panic as they failed to evade the dagger slashing through their tiny forms.

  
The vivid images of the man sinking his fingers into the gouges in their stomachs, pulling entrails from gaping wounds and throwing them haphazardly as if they were worth nothing.

  
The Fox hissed angrily, tightening its grip into the man's collar. "You...did this..." The man's eyes widened, his grip going slack on his _Fukiya_. The Fox could hear his pulse beating faster and faster.

 

Another wave of rage washed over the Fox as it heard the man's pulse quicken, his shaking hands gripping the Fox's wrist as he struggled to get out of the raging spirit's grip. There was blood and life still pumping through this man...this _monster's_  veins. The Fox's vision went red.

  
Distantly, Izaya, trapped within his own corrupted mind, heard the man's pulse falter.

* * *

The small town of Ikebukuro was comfortably quiet tonight. Few people were out and about at this time of night, eager to head back into their homes and settle into the warmth of their futons.

  
But there was something in the air. Something...odd.

  
Kuronuma Aoba narrowed his eyes as he gazed out the balcony of his estate. Everything _seemed_  calm, but there was just...something. Aoba just couldn't put his finger on it.

  
_'Tch. Maybe I should go consult that damn Fox,'_ he snorted to himself. _'Damn him...At least I'll be done with him in a few weeks.'_

 

Yes...that's right. Aoba would be done with the Fox once he and the twins left for his hometown of Kyushu. He still didn't fully understand _why_ the Fox wanted him to take them away so badly, but if it was an excuse to have their attention more often, he would take it. Aoba couldn't wait for them to see where they grew up; to see where they would grow old together. 

  
His eyes softened at the thought. His heart may be brittle, but the Orihara twins somehow managed to worm their way into it.

  
A loud crash sounded from the forest, snapping Aoba's gaze toward the West Ikebukuro wall.

 

In the distance, Aoba spotted a long line of trees, each shaking more violently than the last, making their way toward the village. Aoba's eyes widened when one of the larger trees near the border began to quake and fall, completely obliterating the wall beneath it. Huge chunks of stone blew outward from the destruction, clouding the area with dust.

  
And from the gaping hole emerged a dark figure, prowling forward on all fours. It's twin tails lashed violently from behind it, whipping the air and cutting long gashes into the wreckage behind it. Its back was hunched impossibly, its spine curving and jutting at odd angles. Dark red veins snaked across its exposed limbs, pulsating with bloody red light with every beat of the beasts heart. Aoba could just barely make out the red smearing its face and arms, tinting its teeth a gory pink as it opened its slavering jaws. Its clothes were tattered, ripped and soaked with what Aoba could only assume was either water or blood. Even from a distance, Aoba could identify the snarling creature as the Fox spirit of Ikebukuro.

  
_'Where are Mairu and Kururi!'_ his mind screeched as he dashed through the halls of the Kuronuma estate, running into the streets barefoot and in his sleeping clothes as he rushed to the Orihara compound.

  
Faintly, Aoba could sense the Fox rampaging closer, barking and destroying everything in its path. The Fox was looking for something, possibly even someone; but why Aoba had no clue. Rounding the corner, Aoba ran into the Orihara estate, not bothering to explain himself to the housemaids peeking behind the doors to catch a glimpse of what was happening outside.

  
"Mairu!" he yelled, grabbing the shoji door. "Kururi!" Yanking the door open, he silently prayed that he would see them inside, sleeping peacefully in their futons and ready to wave him off as being too paranoid.

  
His heart sank when he saw neatly made futons, the twins utterly absent.

* * *

Izaya felt like he was drowning. He couldn't see. He couldn't hear. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't feel. There was nothing he could ground himself to. Nothing but open space in a void of darkness.

  
It was as if something had forceibly taken control of his body, pushing Izaya away from the reigns to take charge.

  
Izaya could vaguely hear screams and crashes around him. He could feel stone crumbling beneath his grip and _something_ wet and sticky staining his hands. But Izaya couldn't bring himself to care. It all felt so surreal, so _good_. He was so tired...

* * *

Izaya jolted awake, his body jerking back to conscience. His whole body felt heavy, as if it were made of iron, weighing down his exhausted, aching limbs. The inside of his mouth tasted horrible; an unholy mixture of stomach acid and the bitter familiarity of corruption. His lungs rattled with every breath he took, his chest heaving for oxygen but the air was clouded with smoke. Izaya lifted his head slightly, his eyes moving sluggishly as he slowly registered the blazing heat all around him.

 

 _'Fire,'_ his mind finally pinpointed the source of the heat and smoke. _'There's a fire. I need to leave. Now.'_

  
Pushing himself up on shaky arms, he felt his stomach heave. Dark sludge was expelled from his mouth, bitter and sour on his tongue as corruption escaped his system. Gagging, he finally pushed himself up so he was on his knees, his mind just sensible enough to keep him low to the ground to avoid the smoke tainting the air.

  
He narrowly avoided careening into a bush, alight with golden flames licking along its branches. Coughing, he dragged his way through the forest, gritting his teeth as dirt and loose ash fell onto the open sores of his skin, sizzling against the corruption still leaking from his flesh. The heat was unbearable, singeing at his clothes and scorching his skin. He could practically feel his flesh cooking under the flames. He let out a pained sob as he dragged himself through hot white ash, burning through his destroyed Kimono and searing his skin with angry red burns.

  
Nothing in his familiar forest was familiar anymore. In this hellish landscape of fire and smoke, nothing looked the same. He wanted to stop. To submit to the fire and allow himself to burn. But the heat was a torturous, burning agony. What could Izaya do but drag himself forward? He kept moving despite his pain, but suddenly, he was stopped. Lifting his head tiredly, Izaya found himself confronted by...nothing.

 

He pressed his hand against the air only to meet resistance, electricity pulsing through his palm. Several burning leaves blew past Izaya with ease, however. It seemed that there was an invisible wall tying Izaya in place, preventing his movements.

 

With nowhere else to go, Izaya shifted his body to move in the other direction, his breath hitching with every excruciating movement.

  
His bloody fingers finally caught against a heavy rock leading down to a sharp drop. _'The...cliff...'_ Izaya coughed roughly, scratching up his raw throat as he flung himself down into the gorge. His agonized screams went unnoticed by his mind as he rolled his battered body down sharp rocks before splashing into the river, sending hot white pain through his skin. At the very least there was oxygen here; his chest heaving as it ejected the last of the smog from his damaged lungs. If he were mortal, he would no doubt be dead. Though, just because he couldn't _die_ from mortal wounds, it didn't make anything less painful.

  
Glancing out of his peripherals, Izaya let out another anguished cry when he saw the sallow, waxy carcasses of Mairu and Kururi. He wanted to haul himself closer just to hold them. Just to be able to reach out and grab their hands, tell them that things would be ok. That _they_ would be ok..

  
They were supposed to drink sake together, weren't they? Wasn't he supposed to see them off before they left with that Kuronuma boy? Weren't they supposed to be safe?

  
_'Why didn't I protect them better?'_ he despaired. _'If I had made them leave earlier...or if I had gone with Tsukumoya when he asked...This is all my fault...'_

  
The fire continued to crackle until dawn, but he wouldn't let the flames touch the twins.

* * *

 

_200 years ago, the wretched Fox spirit killed Orihara Mairu and Orihara Kururi._

* * *

_In the aftermath of the Demon Fox's attack, Ikebukuro was in chaos. The entire Nebula compound was utterly destroyed. Not even bricks were left once the Fox finished its rampage. Few doctors managed to escape the carnage, including Kishitani-sensei, the head of the Nebula project, and his assistant Yagiri-sensei. Scared off by the Fox, the rest of the Nebula organization disbanded and spread across Japan, with Kishitani-sensei remaining in Ikebukuro while Yagiri-sensei left with the rest of her family. Most of the private records that Nebula held were transferred to the Orihara family, who owned the largest collection of records for I kebukuro. However, unbeknownst to the pubic, several secret records regarding spirit experimentation and similar projects were kept hidden in a sealed chamber beneath one of the estate's in Ikebukuro. One of these records include an obsidian stone plate, carved with intricate kanji letters._

 

_The three bodies of Orihara Mairu and Kururi, as well as the son of a researcher from the Nebula organization, Nakura, were discovered days after. All 3 had similar wounds: 3 gashes along the torso, evident of massive claw wounds. The body of Nakura had his throat torn out and his ankles slashed._

 

 _The Orihara estate soon burned down after the incident, destroying most, if not all, of the documents at the time. The few records that remained were later placed in a library, now standing where the Orihara estate once was. Many have attributed this fire as bad luck caused by the yokai Fox. It is also speculated that the Fox's influence was the cause of a_   _miscarriage just weeks after._

 

_Efforts were made to rid the Fox from the Ikebukuro area, all of which were led by Kuronuma Aoba, who was anguished by the gruesome murder of his lovers by the evil Fox spirit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fuyuki - Japanese Blowdart gun
> 
> Shogi - Japanese Chess
> 
> Fuhyo - The equivalent of a pawn in Shogi
> 
> Tokin - A promoted pawn. You know how if you get a pawn all the way to the other side in western chess and they get promoted to another piece? It's kinda like that.
> 
> Blight - It's not Japanese, but if you've ever watched Noragami, I based blight off of that. It's like infection/corruption for the Gods
> 
> Chabudai - One of those really short Japanese tables. The ones where you have to sit crossed legged at
> 
> Mamushi - A type of venemous snake found in Japan
> 
> So...yeah. ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ


	10. Building Bridges Over Rough Terrain (And Watching Them Go Up in Smoke)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo. Sorry this was posted so late! School really killed me, and I only just got back from vacation, but I'm still alive! I just realized that I left out a REALLY important detail in the last chapter, but please forgive me because it was an absolute monster of a chapter. So, here's what I missed so you don't have to read through the whole chapter again to find it:
> 
> On the dart that Nakura used to corrupt Izaya, there was a symbol carved onto it, a seal that would bind the bearer to the sealer to a physical seal that is held by the sealer. Basically, there's a copy of Izaya's seal in Nebula that binds him to a certain area (HINT HINT). That's basically how Izaya and the mice spirits get corrupted; they become sealed to Nebula and must obey them. Izaya is just a special snowflake that resisted the seal and the corruption's influence because plot.
> 
> But that's basically all you missed. Enjoy the chapter!

"Stupid fucking Flea...He's so evasive all the time, y'know," Shizuo grumbled, refilling his Kiseru for the third time in half an hour. Celty placed a consoling hand on his shoulder, petting him soothingly like he was disgruntled pet. "If that fucking Louse was just willing enough to _tell me everything_ , things wouldn't be so difficult. Why does he have to make things so damn difficult!"

  
Celty tightened her grip on his shoulder as she tried to calm an ever-seething Shizuo down. [It's alright, Shizuo,] she soothed, gently easing Shizuo's tightening grip on his pipe while maintaining the steady, soothing movements on his shoulder. [I'm sure everything will work out eventually. I'm confident you can break through his stubbornness!]

  
Shizuo let out a slow breath, letting his body relax against the wood railing of the balcony. "Yeah..." he eventually conceded, running a hand through his unruly blond locks. "I just wish things were...easier," he reiterated needlessly.

  
[Maybe it's a trust thing?] Celty offered, tilting her 'head' slightly. [I mean, I wouldn't tell _you_  things if I didn't trust you. Maybe he's nervous or something.]

  
He hummed thoughtfully. ' _I_ did _hurt him pretty bad a few days ago..._ ' he thought. It was certainly an odd moment. Sure, Shizuo would often succumb to his rage, but never in his life had he _ever_  experienced all-encompassing anger like he did that day. The ferocity that burned through his veins and washed his vision red...it was unnatural even for him. Even now, just thinking about the Flea made his blood boil with uncharacteristic violence, his fists itching to once again feel bones break beneath his fingers; to feel soft skin giving way beneath the power that thrummed through Shizuo's veins.

  
Shizuo shivered at the intrusive through, reminding himself that he didn't actually want the Flea dead. For all his life, Shizuo had been compared to a monster, but in that moment, he truly felt like one.

  
"I guess I did some not great things," Shizuo admitted gruffly, breathing smoke out his nose. "Either way, you know I'm not great with people. How am I going to gain his trust after I...did bad things," he finished lamely, leaving out the part where he'd nearly snapped Izaya in two.

  
[Maybe you could reintroduce yourself or something. Go in with an open mind and leave the animosity between you two behind.]

  
Shizuo almost wanted to laugh at how idiotic the idea sounded. Would it even be possible to bury the hatchet? To just forget the last month or so of trying to kill each other? The thought of himself and the Louse shaking hands as if they were old buddies had him snorting with laughter, but Celty crossed her arms. [I'm being serious, Shizuo. Give it a try! Maybe you'll surprise yourself!]

  
Shizuo chewed at the lip of his Kiseru. If there was anyone who he would be taking advice from, it _would_  be Celty...

"...I could try," he mumbled, sticking the mouthpiece of his pipe between his teeth. "But you have to admit, it sounds impossible."

  
[Trying something stupid is better than not doing anything, Shizuo!] Celty held out the scroll of parchment sternly. Shizuo was positive that if the woman could speak, she would be chastising him about being unwilling to make friends. [Give it a shot! I'm rooting for you!] She gave him a firm thumbs up.

  
Shizuo chuckled, grinning at Celty with a renewed sense of motivation. "Yeah," he grinned. "I'll try."

* * *

' _Damnnit, why am I doing this again? Oh, yeah...Celty... But she's never met that shitty Louse, or had to hear his annoying voice, or felt the pure exhilaration of feeling the bastard's bones crumble in my hands!'_

  
Shizuo stalked stiffly toward the hole in the west Ikebukuro wall, a low-pitched growl humming from his chest as his rage reared its ugly head; gnashing its teeth and demanding that Shizuo tear the Flea into dust-sized pieces. A crushed box of offering sat in one fist, suffering the brunt of Shizuo's anger, while a now-wrinkled notebook was clenched in the other. Shinra advised him the night before that he should probably write everything Izaya said down so Shizuo could look back on it later. A surprisingly helpful idea from a not-so-helpful doctor.

  
"You sure you're up for this, Shizuo," Kadota asked, his voice soft. He was the one sending him off today, seeing as Celty was busy placating a whining Shinra, who was complaining that they weren't spending enough time together. "I don't normally say this, but it might be easier just to...get rid of the guy."

  
"I already tried that," Shizuo grunted in response. "I don't think I'm even physically capable of killing the damn Louse, no matter how hard I try."

  
Kadota snorted, "Well if you're going to try to make friends, you should stop calling him a Louse," he chuckled, reminding Shizuo that he was, indeed, trying to make _friends_ , not a _corpse_.

  
"Can't help it," Shizuo grumbled, his temper stirring in his mind from just the thought of the damn Fox. "He's such an annoying insect."

  
The other man just shook his head in amusement, a lopsided grin covering his face. "Good luck, Shizuo."

  
Shizuo just hummed, closing his eyes for a few beats as he settled his whirling emotions before stepping back into the charred, ugly landscape of the Ikebukuro forest. The rotten stench of Izaya intensified as he grew closer to the clearing, but rather than showing the disgust on his face, he steeled his features, staying as neutral as possible. He had to make a 'good impression' after all. Shizuo didn't bother trying to cover a scoff at his thoughts. Stepping through the last of the ashy underbrush, Shizuo was fully expecting to find Izaya there as per the norm; but oddly enough, he wasn't. No traces of silver or black fur could be seen, and the odour of 'Flea' was staler than normal. "Fucking Louse..." Shizuo grumbled, lifting his head to try and pinpoint Izaya's location.

  
Shizuo eventually found Izaya in the gorge, sitting on a large stone in the middle of the river with his back turned to the cliff, staring at the opposite rock wall. Despite the distance, Shizuo could tell that the spirit was wet; water dripping from his head and his soaked clothing, pooling on the rock beneath him. Izaya's raggedy yukata clung to his back like a second skin, revealing the ridges of his spine which were normally hidden, and the sharp curve if his shoulder bones; sticking out from the smooth of his back like a pair of wings, ready to shoot forth at a moments notice. Shizuo could see the slight shivers running through his form as a cool breeze drifted through the ravine, rattling his too-thin frame. Izaya's tail was curled innocently at his side, soaking and matted with moisture as it twitched every now and then; sending ripples through the tiny lake that had gathered beneath him. Izaya's ears swivelled back as Shizuo approached, picking up the subtle noise of pebbles brushing together beneath Shizuo's sandals.

  
"Didn't I tell you that you wouldn't find what you're looking for, Shizu-chan," Izaya sighed, sinking further into himself, "and here I was giving you the credit of being smart enough to know when to give up."

  
"Shut up, Flea," Shizuo bit out before he could stop himself.

  
Izaya chuckled slightly, finally turning his head to look at Shizuo. "Where did all that courtesy go, ne?"

  
Shizuo gritted his teeth, struggling to reign in the beastly temper roaring within him. He didn't understand the visceral _anger_  bubbling inside of him. Even the thought of apologising made his teeth gnash and a growl burn low in his throat. Taking a deep breath, "I want to start over," he growled, flexing his hand tight over the notebook and bending creases into the crisp parchment.

  
"Oh?" Izaya raised a brow, amusement flickering in his bloody eyes. He turned his torso around so he was face to face with Shizuo, easing his posture so he looked more like a _Shogun_ than a drowned rat. "Go on."

  
Shizuo bit back the snarl threatening to spill from his throat. Instead, he swallowed his anger - which was far too difficult to be normal - and held out his hand, "I want to bury the hatchet between us. Start over," he said curtly.

  
Izaya hummed loudly, grabbing at his chin and scrunching up his nose as if he was deep in thought. "Well, we'll never be able to do that with you being so angry, don't you agree, Shizu-chan?" He held out his arms as if to shrug, his smirk falling back to his lips easily as he shook his head. "Now, come here, Shizu-chan!" Izaya beckoned the blond closer, waving his hands as if he were some filthy mutt.

  
Shizuo didn't bother suppressing the compulsive growl rumbling deep in his chest as he stalked closer, dropping the offerings and the notebook as he reached out to grab Izaya's collar. "I-za-ya!" he snarled, raising his right fist ready to strike. To fracture bones and spill blood and kill, kill, _kill_ -

  
_Clonk_

  
Shizuo hardly even registered the dull thud against his forehead.

  
"Ah. It's always the emotional ones," Izaya hummed, his breaths ghosting a little too close to Shizuo nose for his liking. "Flying off the handle like this...just like her..."

  
"Flea, what the _fu_ -"

  
"Shut up, Shizu-chan. _Kami-sama_  are you made of metal or something?"

  
Before Shizuo could resume his attack, there was an odd surge through his veins, cold and hot at the same time. It started from his head, working all the way to the tips of his toes. It numbed his veins and eased the growing strain in his muscles before tensing them up again, aching as if he had been chasing Izaya for a week straight. Once it stopped, everything felt...lighter. That was the only way he could describe it. It was as if all the background noise fuzzing his brainwaves had ceased; darkness lifting from his vision and clearing his sight. The unbridled anger within Shizuo seemed to stop all at once. Shizuo's whole form went slack, easing his too-tight grip at the hem of Izaya's yukata until he was gripping it lightly, ghosting over the rough material.

  
"There. Is that any better, my dear monster," Izaya cooed, sounding like his usual self when he leaned back to press his hands a little too roughly into Shizuo's cheeks.

  
"What...?" Shizuo paused. The seething fury that had once dominated his thoughts was significantly subdued. It felt like it had never even been there in the first place.

  
"It's ok," Izaya soothed in his exaggerated tone. "Izaya is right here for you, ne."

  
Shizuo finally snapped out of his stupor and took a wide step back, only then noticing that he had crossed the river and was now standing shin-deep in icy water. Izaya sniggered as Shizuo let out a few curses, lifting the edges of his clothws out from the water. "...What happened?" Shizuo finely asked, sounding slower than he intended and making Izaya's quiet giggling grow into full-on laughter. "Oi!"

  
"What?" Izaya purred, "I'm sure Shizu-chan knows his manners? Where's my 'thank you'?"

  
Oddly enough, the mention of that god-awful nickname and the flash of a sly smirk didn't send Shizuo into a raging fit, and he managed to remain calm and collected as he'd always dreamed. "Um, thanks," Shizuo offered in a more genuine tone than he intended, "for whatever you just did."

  
An awkward pause followed. Neither party was willing to say anything, so they ended up just staring at each other for what felt like centuries. Izaya cleared his throat lightly. "It was the only way to stop you from beating me into the ground," Izaya mused, his tone dipping low and obnoxious. He recrossed his legs idly and flashed sharp eyes up to meet Shizuo's stupified gaze. "Unless, of course, you maybe still _want_  to?" he shot Shizuo a lazy smirk; though, Shizuo could spot a hint of shadowed desperation from Izaya's hazy, overbright eyes.

  
Frowning, Shizuo stalked back up to where the Flea was sitting, letting go of his kimono as he sloshed through the running water. _'Honestly, how many times do I have to say that I don't want to kill you for you to get it through your damn head, Flea. Aren't you always going on about how smart you are?'_

  
"Shizu-chan, you know I can hear what you think, ne?" Izaya's voice was smooth and even, but his posture tensed marginally, his fingers clenching against the wet stone.

  
"I'm counting on it." Shizuo stopped just before his knees hit the flat stone Izaya was sitting on and leaned over to look Izaya in the eye. "Cause then you know that I definitely _don't_ want to kill you, damn Louse. I want to solve this peacefully. No bloodshed." Despite Shizuo being clearer than the water that surrounded them, Izaya still looked sceptical; the hesitation in his gaze and the way his eyes darted to the borders of the gorge in search of an escape route betraying his nervousness. Biting back a growl about how stubborn Izaya was being, Shizuo extended his hand. Izaya's attention flickered to the outstretched palm before it, his lip curling into a grimace and his whole body leaning away from it as if it were a piece of rotting fruit. "I want to start over," Shizuo repeated, feeling his cheeks heat up when Izaya just kept staring. "I want to just...forget about what happened before and start over." More silence. "I'm serious, Fl-Izaya."

  
"Oh, I know you're serious," Izaya finally said, lifting his gaze to lock eyes with Shizuo. It was the first time Shizuo had seen Izaya's gaze so soft and unguarded; not weighted with desperation or shadowed with his past, and with no walls shielding his emotions. Shizuo felt as if they were pouring into his soul as he flickered over amusement and nostalgia and grief, all ever-present in Izaya's crimson gaze.

  
Shizuo managed to blink out of his thoughts when he felt a soft brush of chilled skin against his fingers. "You greatly amuse me, oh wandering Samurai," Izaya said softly. A bell-like laugh followed, ringing light and content in Shizuo's ears. "One minute you want to kill me, the next you're trying to shake my hand and become friends-" he shook his head "-you're so unpredictable. So unlike all the other humans living around here who've tried to kill me in the past. The fact that you're even giving the thought of being friends is strange. Actually, you're just like a few brats I knew," he said, his tone animated and light, and yet he sounded like he was choking on air. Izaya slipped his hand closer, fitting it into the curve of Shizuo's palm, "Always so persistent on what they thought they wanted."

  
"So...we're starting over?" Shizuo breathed, squeezing Izaya's hand lightly as if it were made of delicate porcelain that would crack under the slightest pressure.

  
"You're an idiotic protozoan, Shizu-chan," Izaya laughed again. "I'm Orihara Izaya, Ikebukuro's former God of Information."

  
"...Heiwajima Shizuo, travelling not-really-a-samurai," Shizuo finally uttered. "It's nice to meet you."

  
Izaya grinned, giving Shizuo's hand a firm shake. "It's nice to meet you. I hope we can be friends, Shizu-chan!"

* * *

 

From that day on, a tentative ceasefire was formed; moving away from the warzone of their past and into neutral middle ground. Shizuo refrained from throwing heavy objects at Izaya and, in turn, Izaya limited the number of insults he shot at the blonde. Against Shizuo's initial belief that this plan was doomed to fail, after just two weeks, they managed to build a bridge connecting them, strong enough to support the hesitant seeds of trust.

  
To Shizuo, it was something that he never believed would happen. All his life, violence had been the one and only solution to the problems that he encountered, and yet here he was, using the peace he so longed for as an answer. Now, instead of fighting, they just...talked. Sitting around in various parts of the burnt forest talking idly about random topics.

  
It felt liberating. As if the horrible weight of his monstrous strength was slipping off his shoulders with every tiny step forward he made with Izaya. Every spilt secret, unguarded smile, and genuine laugh he prodded from the spirit felt like a small victory. He knew he was getting closer to the truth with every morsel of information Izaya gave him, even if most of said information were unremarkable, irrelevant facts about himself.

  
_'Have you_ seen _fish eyes? You have to admit they're a little creepy, Shizu-chan!'_

  
_'Bleh, Shizu-chan has the palet of a child. Bring something bitter or salty next time, not something showered with sugar.'_

  
_'Dogs are so annoying. They yap and bark and never shut up!'_

  
It may be unneeded information, but Shizuo still called it a success. All this meant that Izaya was opening up more, lowering his defences just enough for Shizuo to get a glimpse of who the spirit really was.

  
The Fox and the Samurai managed to settle into a pseudo routine in which Shizuo would arrive in the afternoon with different offerings to Izaya's clearing; and until the sun began to dip below the horizon, they would do whatever they pleased. Some days they argued about trivial things, others they wandered the charred ruins of the forest, and some times, they spent their day in comfortable silence.

  
Coincidentally, today was one of those days, spent with only the white noise of the dead forest to keep them company. Together, they sat by the river, soaking up the late-winter warmth that was finally beginning to creep in.

  
Shizuo wasn't exactly sure when he had fallen asleep, but he awoke to the feeling of icy fingers brushing his nape and the peachy-red glow of the setting sun lighting an inferno along the winding river. Groaning slightly, he sat up further and moved his hand to the back of his head, only to be swatted away by those same icy hands.

  
"What're you doing," Shizuo grumbled, his words slurred with sleep as he tried to twist his head to stare back at Izaya. The Fox's firm grip kept him in place.

  
"Nothing at all, Shizu-chan!" he chirped, threading lithe fingers through Shizuo's blond tresses, tugging here and there. "Just giving you a haircut is all."

  
"What!" Izaya chuckled behind him. _He sounds tired,_  Shizuo noted dully.

  
"Don't be stupid, protozoan." Another light tug. "I was bored, and your hair's long enough to braid now." Izaya pulled at a loose thread from the sleeve of is yukata, the thin, dark string catching in his teeth to just the right length. "Now hold still like a good little monster and let me finish," Izaya said, readjusting Shizuo's head and tying the thread around the tiny braid.

  
Shizuo just grunted, still too drowsy to really care. "I'll get a haircut soon," he grumbled, content to just close his eyes and drift back off.

  
"Hm. Will you?"Izaya asked sounding mournful. "I kind of like your hair at this length. You can braid it and look a little more human."

  
Ignoring the jab, Shizuo felt the tiniest bit of warmth worm its way into his heart. _Maybe I'll leave it for now.'_ Shifting his lazy gaze, Shizuo frowned at the half-full box of senbei rice crackers, a few pieces of whole, dried fish(which Shizuo knew Izaya would hate and brought along just to spite him), and a half bottle of sake. They had been extra's from Karisawa's spontaneous sake party the night before. From the looks of it, one or two crackers had been taken, both of which Shizuo was sure had been eaten by himself, and the fish had been thrown to the other side of the gorge, but was otherwise laid untouched. "Oi, Flea," Shizuo reached over to paw the box closer against Izaya's protests. "You didn't eat any." _I_ _thought you said you were going to eat today,_ he continued in his mind, unwilling to let worry bleed into his expression.

  
The Flea just hummed in response, squinting at Shizuo's hair. "Did you know that your hair looks like bushels of wheat like this?"

  
"Flea," Shizuo growled, "I'm being serious." He pushed himself up to glare at Izaya. "Why didn't you eat. You're too damn skinny to be healthy."

  
Izaya hummed again, his shoulders slumping in exhaustion and he brought one hand up to caress his temple. "I'm not hungry, Shizu-chan."

  
"You're still not hungry? You're a pile of skin and bones, you haven't eaten properly in centuries, but you're _not hungry_?" Shizuo demanded, cringing internally when Izaya gave a pained wince.

  
It had all started about three days ago when Izaya's appetite all of a sudden vanished. He showed no signs of the ravenous hunger he once displayed when Shizuo started feeding him, and instead acted aloof and disinterested in food. Even when Shizuo had brought a whole, unhacked piece of ootoro, the spirit didn't react. Izaya grew lethargic and slow, lacking the energy and the willpower to do little more than sit in silence. "Can you at least...try to eat something?" Shizuo asked in a softer tone, trying to be mindful of Izaya's headache.

  
But Izaya just shook his head, raking his chilled fingers gently though Shizuo's hair. "I'm tired," he announced after several seconds. Pulling out another thread from his sleeve, "As much as I _l_ _ove_  your presence, I don't want your monster-ness to rub off on me." With one final tug, Izaya smoothed the braids in Shizuo's hair, tying the last knot tightly. "Now head home, protozoan."

  
Shizuo frowned, reaching behind him just enough the catch Izaya's wrist and the thin fabric of his sleeve to inspect it. "Don't pull at your clothes like that." He thumbed at the growing hole in the tattered fabric. "Your yukata's gross enough. Don't make it worse, flea." Shizuo didn't have to see Izaya's eyeroll to know it happened. "You'll get cold." Well, colder than he already was.

  
"Well, it's cold out, Shizu-chan. Not that you would be affected, seeing as you have a beasts body temperature." Shizuo scowled, tightening his grip on Izaya's wrist slightly. "Ok, ok," Izaya laughed, his ears twitching in amusement. "Why don't you just get me a new kimono, hm? Would that make you feel better?"

  
Now it was Shizuo's turn to roll his eyes and he finally sat up, easing his hold on Izaya's wrist as he stood. He pushed the box of food toward Izaya with his foot. "You better be finished with all this by tomorrow, flea," he grunted. "I'll see you tomorrow."

  
"Bye-bye, Shizu-chan!" Izaya waved with his usual flourish, though his voice was raspy with exhaustion and his eyes dull with something Shizuo couldn't make out. _Pain, maybe?_  A prickle of unease slithered down his spine, springing goosebumps along his arms. "See you tomorrow. And don't forget my new clothes! Nothing too flashy, and see if you can get a fur trim!"

  
"Yeah, yeah." Shizuo lifted his hand as he departed. He still couldn't shake the chill of turmoil as it settled deeper into his bones.

* * *

It had been an arduous task for Shizuo to get back to the estate in the first place. He couldn't easily explain away the braids in his hair, not like how he could justify his lack of progress when it came to catching Izaya or spending too much money on sweets. In the end, Shizuo ended up pulling his Haori over his head and keeping his head bowed low to avoid suspicion form anyone. Of course, seeing the oddly tall samurai working for the Kuronuma's with his haori draped over him like a ghost was probably just as suspicious, but Shizuo chose to see it as a lesser of two evils. Shizuo knew for a fact that he had been seen once or twice by a few servants milling about, and ran into Mikado briefly, but the boy just nodded to him and walked away, smiling like he knew some cryptic secret that Shizuo didn't. Creepy little brat...

  
Once he got back to the safety of privacy, however, for some reason, Shizuo couldn't bring himself to undo the carefully knotted ties, no matter how much of an audience he captured by his friends. Sure, the braids were placed haphazardly and stuck oddly from his head, but Shizuo couldn't bring himself to untie them. Even after he said his farewell to Izaya earlier that night, Shizuo couldn't stave off the uneasiness settled heavy in his mind. Something about Izaya was...off, to say the least. Shizuo had figured that out days ago but today, the spirit looked and sounded awful.

 

For some reason, the idea of unwinding the braids was almost like he was planning on erasing Izaya from his life. As if he was getting rid of the evidence that Izaya had been there, and for some reason, it burned at Shizuo's chest and formed an icy pit in his gut.

  
"I just wanna pet them! Please, Shizu-Shizu!" Karisawa whined, writhing in Yumasaki's grip as he tried to keep her from pouncing at the blond. Shizuo groaned, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He was almost regretting keeping them in. Almost.

  
"Stop bothering Shizuo," Yumasaki chided as he tried to pin Karisawa's arms to her side.

  
"But..." she whined, giving Shizuo a doe-eyed glance. And that was all it took.

  
Shizuo stood, grabbed his kiseru, and made a beeline to the balcony. Ignoring her whining, he slid the door shut. Taking in a deep breath of the cold air, Shizuo allowed his mind to process any new information he gathered today. _He was definitely off,_  he confirmed in his mind, jotting down a few notes in his crinkled notebook. _It looked like his headache was getting worse, he still wasn't hungry and looked even more nauseous than before. He said he was cold, even though he was in direct sunlight,_  Shizuo tapped the charcoal stick against the page a few times, watching the dots appear beneath it as his mind wandered. _He can't get sick, I think._  Well, he was sick that one time, but that was because he was poisoned; and even then, the symptoms weren't exactly the same. Frowning into the side of his palm where he was resting his chin, he quickly scrawled out 'poison?' and underlined it so he would remember it, just in case.

  
"Knock knock!" Shinra's voice cut through the peace of the twilight sky. "How was today...what is that in your hair?" Shizuo could feel Shinra's gaze burning through his hair.

  
"It's nothing." Shizuo felt his face burn with self-consciousness for the nth time that night. "Don't think about it too hard or I'll kill you."

  
Shinra smiled at him, unbothered by Shizuo's words. "So, did you find out anything new today?" he asked, skipping closer to lean against the railing. "Hm, he's still not looking good, then?"

  
"Yeah." Shizuo took a drag of his pipe. "He's not hungry or anything. Keeps talking about how he's cold. I'm probably going to bring him some medicine or something. Maybe a teapot." He breathed the smoke out his nose like a dragon. "Did you find anything?"

  
Shinra shook his head. "Just more diary entries and journals. No luck finding any formal records from the time, though. There are a lot of mentions of the sky, though."

  
"The sky?"

  
"Yeah, like the moon and the stars," Shinra sighed, his eyes half-lidded and daydreamy. "It's romantic, ne? The moon and the stars. _Ah_ , it reminds me of my darling Celty! She's the moon in my midnight sky, the stars that guide me to her heart! Celty's the brightest star in my galaxy; with the way her skin glows whenever we-"

  
"Shinra," Shizuo growled, smacking Shinra on the back of his head hard enough to send him nearly faceplanting into the wood railing.

  
"Ah, Shizuo-kun! You can't censor my love for Celty!"

  
"Shut up and tell me more about those journal entries!"

  
Shinra pouted but obliged. "There are entries talking about it as if it were a person, like 'Nebula arrived today', and 'Nebula has healed my son'. I assumed it was another God, but there are so few of them that I'm not entirely sure."

  
_Izaya never mentioned some Nebula guy. Then again, he never mentions anyone._  "I'll ask the Flea about it tomorrow," Shizuo muttered, scratching it down next to his other notes. Shizuo refrained from snapping at the doctor when he leaned a little too close into Shizuo's personal bubble to peer at the notes.

  
"You know, I've never seen you so adamant on learning something, Shizuo-kun," Shinra began tentatively, testing the waters to how Shizuo would react. Shizuo just grunted, not really paying attention to what Shinra was saying. "I mean, you've nearly filled up half the notebook on things that don't really matter, right? Food preference, things he likes and things he dislikes." Another grunt from Shizuo. "You're even keeping those stupid braids in even though you and I both know how strange you look."

  
"Don't call them stupid. And don't call me strange either. We're the same level of strange and you know it."

  
"...Uh huh." Shinra cleared his throat, drawing Shizuo's attention to him fully. "You're really getting close to the Fox, then."

  
Shizuo pulled an odd face. "I need to get close to him, Shinra. How else will I be able to drive him out of the forest for the Kuronuma's? You're acting weird." Shizuo shut his notebook and straightened, dumping out still smouldering ash from his Kiseru. "I think you need more Celty time to get yourself in order."

  
The other man was silent for a second before nodding slowly. He looked oddly pensive. Shinra clearly wanted to say something but wouldn't, but before Shizuo could question it, "Celty, dearest!" Shinra called, opening the sliding door with a wave of his hand and sprinting in to give the headless woman a hug.

  
Shizuo scratched the back of his head. He was missing something, wasn't he? About Izaya and about Shinra, but what was it exactly? He sighed again, resealing his tobacco container and putting away his Kiseru. Shizuo would find it. He knew he would. He was riding an uncanny wave of confidence and for some reason, his gut was telling him that it would all work out. All it would take is baby steps. Baby steps in the right direction

* * *

Pain. Shooting pain, burning behind his eyes and melting the flesh off his bones. White hot, blistering pain that rocketed through his system and made him sick. _This is it,_  he thought, gasping through clenched teeth, _I_ _managed to put it off for days, but I can't anymore._

  
Despite knowing for days that this was coming, Izaya allowed himself to lay victim to the idiotic belief that Shizuo could help. That Shizuo could make this nightmare stop. That he could find peace. But this was as far from peace as one could get. The mind-numbing ache had intensified exponentially in the last three days, so much so that he could do little more than sit in silence in order to ease the strain.

  
Izaya couldn't be bothered to suppress the pained whine that escaped his lips as he writhed atop the cold stones of the gorge, twisting and buckling under the crushing weight of agony that coursed through his body. He let out another pained moan as the sensation of insects burrowing beneath his skin intensified.

  
Izaya knew that he wouldn't be able to hold out for much longer. Within a day or less, Izaya would no longer be Izaya. He would simply be a passenger in his body, with no control over his limbs or his thoughts or his actions. And Izaya was absolutely terrified.

  
He had to leave. To get away from this place. Somewhere as far from Ikebukuro and his beloved humans as that damned barrier would allow. Gritting his teeth, he reached out his arm to dig his fingers into the pebbly stones beneath, hauling himself forward with an agonized sob. Staggering onto his feet, Izaya felt burning tears drip down his face; leaving inky trails of black in their wake.

  
Izaya knew where he needed to go. To the far corners of his burnt territory in a hollowed out tree that managed to survive after all these years. Rasping a sharp inhale, Izaya leaned heavily against the rough cliff of the gorge, forcing his legs to move; to shuffle as fast as they could to get as far away as he could. All it would take to get there is baby steps. Baby steps in the right direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shogun - The military dictator of Japan. Basically the ruler
> 
> Senbei Crackers - Salty rice crackers
> 
> So, yeah! I hope the chapter didn't disappoint. Sorry if things are a little inconsistent, both plot-wise and writing-wise. It's been a while since I've had time to sit down and hammer things out. Also, sorry for the angst. I was really tempted to split this chapter in two so there wasn't just straight angst, but I couldn't think of another title...
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks for reading! Comments and Kudos are appreciated!


	11. The Demon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I'd like to think I'm something like George Lucas, you know? Slowly killing my own plotline and blocking in scenes with just 'they fight'"  
> \- My at 2am trying to right a good fight scene for once in my sorry existence

The sun was already leaning toward the west when Shizuo arrived in the forest. It was later in the afternoon than he'd intended, having been held up by Kuronuma-obaasama earlier that morning. The old woman had summoned Shizuo to her office to scold him for his lack of progress in catching the 'Demon Fox' for damn near an hour. "Remember your promise to my family and my village," she had said, "you must kill the demon before it goes on another killing spree!"

 

It had been hard not to roll his eyes at her words. Izaya was in no way a threat to anyone, in Shizuo's opinion, and there was no need for the Kuronuma's or anyone, for that matter, to worry about what he might do. The 'Demon Fox' hardly had enough strength to run around, let alone destroy Ikebukuro's west wall every other month. In passing conversation, Izaya had mentioned that there were other, more powerful spirits living in this world. Maybe it was one of them that dealt the damage and Izaya was simply suffering the consequences. At the very least, Shizuo had formulated a new plan that would help both Izaya and the Kuronuma's: taking Izaya away from the village.

 

The only issue was that Ikebukuro held great significance in Izaya's heart, and it would be difficult to pry him away from his beloved home. Izaya seemed dead set on staying in this rundown place for the rest of his existence, much preferring to endure the misery of his life than leave it behind. Despite knowing little of Izaya's past, Shizuo suspected that Izaya was tied to this place out of guilt. Shizuo himself was no stranger to feelings of remorse, having been surrounded by the shame of himself throughout his growing years. But at the very least, he knew that overcoming guilt was possible. And if it was possible for Shizuo, the same could be said for Izaya. Or at least that's what Shizuo hoped. Once Shizuo (hopefully) manages to drag Izaya away from this place, Izaya would get better. He would stop having to starve, to waste away in the loneliness he refused to acknowledge. But most of all, Shizuo thinks that Izaya will be happy, and for whatever reason, that was all that mattered.

 

Plus, having another supernatural travelling mate would be fun. If they had enough room for Celty on their cart, Shizuo saw no reason my there would be no place for Izaya. Maybe Celty and Izaya would bond due to their unearthly ties, though Shizuo doubted it. Celty didn't have a very high opinion on Izaya, but it could be said that it was partially his own fault. He never did paint Izaya in a good light.

 

Shizuo stepped through the forest with a freshly pressed _Kosode_  under one arm and a _Kakebuton_ under his other. He peered at his notebook pensively, just within view behind a wall of puffy fabric. Taking a breath to settle his thoughts, Shizuo went over the points in his head.

 

_'Make sure he's comfortable and happy first. Saburo said people take change better when they're in a good mood, so give him the clothes, then the blanket, and start a conversation naturally. Just be...natural. Don't be pushy, or else he'll just run away again. Damn cowardly Flea... If all goes well, I can bring up the idea, and hopefully, he'll use that brain he keeps bragging about and agree to get out of this place._ ' Shizuo grimaced as he stared at the last point, trying and failing to forget what Karisawa had said the night before.

 

_'You know, Shizu-Shizu, it's almost like you're proposing that you elope together!'_

 

Shizuo had no clue what she meant, but he didn't want to know. Not after Kadota, Saburo, and Yumasaki all tackled her when she tried to elaborate. Based on the mischievous grin she'd given him, Shizuo had a basic idea of what she meant, but that didn't make him much happier. Shuddering slightly, Shizuo pulled himself together. He needed to focus on the plan, not Karisawa's idiotic antics. Shizuo had to find the Flea and set everything into motion.

 

...That is if he could even _find_ the little shit.

 

By now, Shizuo had been wandering around the forest for the better part of two hours, trying and failing to pinpoint Izaya's scent. It was strange; as if the whole of Izaya's territory had been swamped with his wet garbage stench, saturating every inch of the blackened woods. The all-encompassing smell made it difficult for even Shizuo's inhumane senses to follow one trail, effectively leaving Shizuo to wander blindly in search of the spirit. He's checked all of Izaya's usual spots, but they all turned up empty with no signs of the spirit anywhere.

 

Shizuo had never smelt Izaya's scent this strongly before. Most days, Izaya's putrid stench would simply linger in the back of Shizuo's mind, not powerful enough to leave an impression, but still mingling in the background. However, there were a few instances where Izaya's stench would flare - the day Shizuo nearly killed him, the day Shizuo extended his hand in ceasefire, the past week or so as his sickly condition worsened - and on those days, the stench that had clung to him like a second skin. It burned at Shizuo's nose and watered at his eyes, but it was still manageable. It only took a few minutes for Shizuo to adjust, and once he did, it was hardly even a passing thought.

 

Now, however, after huffing Izaya's scent like a big dumb predator chasing his ever-elusive prey, Shizuo felt sick. The wet humidity of oncoming rain combined with the overpowering stench was sickening, his stomach churning and a headache beginning to bloom at the centre of his skull. Shizuo was sure that he would have turned back, if not for his determination to see Izaya.

 

"Fuck," Shizuo muttered as another wave of dizziness washed over him and sent him stumbling into a nearby tree for support. He blinked slowly and fixed his gaze to the darkening sky, a signal for the downpour to come. "Oi, Flea," Shizuo groaned ", you better get out here, you Flea bastard, or I'm leaving. This' not good for my health, you stinking up the place like this." Once again, there was no response. No flicker of movement, no taunting-turned-fondly-mischievous smirk turned his way, no gleeful laughter, ringing like bells through the barren trees. Nothing.

 

Closing his eyes once more, Shizuo turned home.

* * *

The sky was growing dark with rain clouds as Shizuo neared the village, his feet dragging tiredly behind him like lead weights. His eyelids felt heavy when he finally neared the west Ikebukuro wall, following with one hand placed on the rugged rock as he blearily searched for the gaping wound in the sturdy stone.

 

Shizuo felt exhausted beyond belief. The two hours he'd spent in the forest had done more damage than he anticipated; dulling his senses and forcing an unmoveable burden to his shoulders. It felt like his ears had been stuffed with cotton, and his legs were dragging through mud. So much so that he didn't notice the dull, rhythmic _thudding_ emanating from beyond the wall.

 

A high-pitched scream of terror managed to snap Shizuo out of his stupor; sending chills down his spine as his muscles tensed. Moving a little faster, Shizuo climbed through the wall, not expecting the horrifying sight before him.

 

Several bricks had been forcefully torn from the stone wall, part of it collapsing in on itself where it could no longer support its own weight. Several sections bore fresh scratches; the large gashes sinking inches into the thick stone and forced new cracks deep into the weathered rock. Beyond the wall, the abandoned streets of west-Ikebukuro were utterly destroyed. Dozens of circular fractures spider-webbed across the unkempt road, leading a path deeper into the village. The few buildings that remained looked like they were about to collapse, hanging off the shaky support of fractured wooden beams. A great gash ran along the length of several buildings, slicing through wood and stone cleaner than any mortal blade could have. Any loose or untied objects were thrown around haphazardly, and the thin film of dust that covered the old buildings now veiled the area. From further into the village, Shizuo could hear that same dull thudding, only this time, it was combined with terrified shouts and screams of civilians.

 

Shattered wood and rubble littered his path as Shizuo moved deeper into Ikebukuro's centre, following the path of destruction that weaved through the streets. He could feel unease building in the pit of his stomach with every step forward, the beast within him begging to run rather than fight whatever was beyond the destruction. There were no weapons at his disposal other than the hunks of dilapidated infrastructure around him and his own strength. But still, Shizuo persisted, swallowing the icy lump in his throat as he raced through the levelled streets; clinging close to the walls of buildings to avoid being seen.

 

A feral cry sounded at Shizuo's left, and he darted toward the sound. _'What the hell was that? A spirit? A fucking animal? It can't be Izaya, can it?'_ Shizuo grimaced at the thought, his fist tightening around the sharp length of wood in his palm. _'Only one way to find out. Fuck, it stinks.'_

 

Stepping into the street, Shizuo saw a dark, writhing mass that was vaguely human in shape emitting low groans and pained noises with every movement. The thing's skin was split and cracked, leaking black, blood-like liquid from a gaping wound. Bright red veins stood out prominently on bare patches of skin, winding across its limbs like a crimson river. Its feet were elongated like that of an animal, standing on its toes as its claws dragged against stone. The skin at the corners of its muzzle-like mouth had been torn wide, revealing rows of pearly white teeth twisted into a snarl. From Shizuo's obscured view, he could just bearly make out dark, wet tracks down the beast's face, dripping down to the stone beneath like falling tears. At the base of its spine extended two appendages, whipping the bitter air into a blade strong enough to carve through wood. Another raspy moan unfurled from the creature's throat.

 

Shizuo felt recognition slam against his chest like a physical blow strong enough to send his heart slamming against his chest.

 

The creature was wearing Izaya's yukata.

* * *

_Izaya was falling. Falling, falling, falling..._

 

_Or was he flying?_

 

_Perhaps he was stationary, floating through the endless void of darkness he labelled as existence. Maybe he was moving so fast that the very concept of motion ceased to exist._ 'It's nice, ne?' _a voice murmured into Izaya's ear, its tone soothing and calm._ 'Like you're sleeping on a cloud...'

 

_Sleeping, huh? That would be perfect now. To sleep for a few years and wake up refreshed...Izaya would very much like that. But the familiarity of the voice made Izaya apprehensive. It was something he'd heard before. Something that he knew to be cautious of_ (Why? What's so bad about the voice? It's so kind).

 

_So Izaya shrugged off the drowsiness weighing at his shoulders and struggled to peel his eyes open - or, were they already open and he didn't know it?_

 

_His surroundings were blurry and warped; abstract shapes devoid of colour and meaning. Things were moving in and out of his line of sight, growing smaller or ducking behind solid objects that Izaya couldn't make out. Someone was screaming, he thought. Or maybe it was just the white noise of his mind, attempting to drown out Izaya's conscious._

 

_Izaya felt his muscles tense as his limbs moved of their own accord, dragging him along the ground_ (since when was there ground in this meaningless void?) _against his will. His movements felt rushed despite the heavy ache in his limbs, burning his flesh and searing pain through his bones. Where was he going? Was he even going anywhere? What else was there to see? Why couldn't he stay here and close his eyes; allow the darkness to rock him to sleep..._

 

_All of a sudden, colour assaulted his vision; sending him reeling backwards. In front of him was the Nebula estate, perfectly intact and busy with people bustling in and out. He could hear the incoherent rambling of people around him as they chattered about their trivial lives, unaware of the horrid, corrupted place they were passing. The stench of blight soured the air, alluding to the experiments being performed within Nebula's walls. It was as if it had never been destroyed 200 years ago_ (Destroyed? ...Who destroyed it? It was just standing a few days ago when I went to visit Aoba-kun... Right?).

 

_He reached out a hand, extending toward one of the sturdy wooden beams, disregarding the danger the building posed; but before he could feel the fibres beneath his fingers, the wood began to ooze corruption, saturating the air and rotting his lungs. Quickly, he withdrew his hand, examining it only to find no evidence of blight on his fingertips._

 

_It was odd. Izaya should have been more terrified of this. He knew first hand of what this corruption could do to a spirit, but he couldn't bring himself to feel worried. It was a magnet, drawing him closer with an unseen force; beckoning him closer with its alluring siren song. The black ooze had almost felt warm; comforting like the touch of a loved one...like an embrace he hadn't felt in years..._

 

"I...ya! Oi...zaya!"

 

_The screaming was back, only this time, it was louder. It was annoying and aggravated Izaya's headache. Turning to face the screaming person, Izaya could only see a golden and blue blob, stepping closer...closer...why was he coming closer_ (Why does he look so familiar? Do I know him? What if he's with Nebula?)?

 

'Stay away from me,' _Izaya attempted_ ', I'm dangerous. You could get hurt. Please...' _But the blob didn't listen. It just kept screaming and screaming. Louder, and louder, and even louder still. It was annoying._

 

'Get rid of it,' _the voice hissed. The white noise was back in full force, buzzing like a swarm of insects and rattling against his skull._ 'Come on, what if he's with Nebula?' _the voice cooed._ 'You have to be careful... It's easy. You've done it before, you can do it again...come on...do it! Do it!'

 

_The blob stopped moving._

* * *

Shizuo couldn't believe what he was seeing was possible. Izaya, who hadn't had the energy to even _move_ yesterday and grimaced at the suggestion of eating, was now a monster that could rival Shizuo himself. The image that the Kurouma's had given him on the first day of the demon fox seemed tame compared to the real thing. The spirit looked menacing despite his too-thin frame as it turned to face Shizuo with an animalistic fury in its gaze. Crowds of people in the populated village centre were fleeing in every direction, each screaming with varying levels of panic on their voices. A high pitched whine escaped the spirit's throat as it clawed at its head, whimpering and staggering on its feet as he fought to stay upright.

 

Izaya had stopped in front of a small building, staring up at it with unfocused eyes. He reached out a hand to touch some imaginary object before pulling away as if he were burned, shaking his head violently and groaning with pain. The spirit stumbled back, his tails the only thing maintaining his balance as they whipped a whirlwind of dust behind him.

 

The violent tremors that wracked Izaya's form managed to snap Shizuo into action, and he stepped further into the street to get Izaya's attention. "Izaya!" he yelled, taking a threatening step forward when the crazed spirit didn't budge. "Oi, Izaya!"

 

Finally, Izaya stopped; his whole body stiffening. He craned his head slowly to stare lifeless eyes into Shizuo's soul. His elongated nose lifted into the air to sniff cautiously in Shizuo's direction and paced closer, away from the building.

 

"It's me, you moronic Flea! Are you even in there, you shitty Louse? What the hell _happened_ to you!?"

 

But Izaya didn't answer with words, instead letting out a sharp whine. A few more breathy notes escaped Izaya's throat, but none were coherent enough to be put into words; all the while shakily staggering closer.

 

Shizuo felt his own panic begin to swell as his mind raced for what to do. Should he fight Izaya and risk shattering the fragile trust built between them? Should he try to talk to the spirit despite his inability to communicate? Should he just run and hope for the best, simultaneously avoiding conflict and peace?

 

"Izaya, get a hold of yourself, you stupid Fox!" Shizuo yelled, praying that Izaya would miraculously come back to himself but to no avail. "Izaya!" He stepped forward cautiously with his hands raised to appear non-threatening, his hands twitching with adrenaline as he inched closer to the distressed spirit. _'What the hell am I doing?! This isn't going to end well! I should be keeping distance! Finding something better to fight with! ...But could I fight him? Even in this state?'_ "It's me, remember?" Shizuo jabbed his thumb into his chest for emphasis. "It's Shizuo! The Prototyping...whatever you call me! It's Shizuo, you Flea!"

 

Izaya paused midstep, his eyes sharpening to focus on Shizuo's face. Hope flared in Shizuo's chest for a brief moment. _'Come on, Izaya... Snap out of it, you're stronger than this...'_

 

Shizuo didn't have time to brace himself when Izaya twisted on his hind legs and lashed out his whip-like tail, sending Shizuo careening backwards with the immense power of the strike. The wind whistled in Shizuo's ears for a calm second before he crashed into a crumbling building on the other side of the street, winding him as he slid to the floor. Without even looking up to inspect the damage, Shizuo could tell the stone wall he'd just crashed into was no longer a 'wall'.

 

Everything was spinning in Shizuo's eyes, everything fuzzy and unclear as he blinked his eyes, trying to reorient the world. The nausea from earlier was creeping back into his system, and when combined with the general _what-the-fuck-is-happening_ confusion, Shizuo was certain that he was in no shape for a fight. But, of course, Izaya had other plans as he stalked closer, the light of recognition flickering out from his darkened gaze.

 

Coughing harshly, Shizuo fumbled his way to his feet, rolling his shoulders carefully to test for damage. Luckily, there was nothing amiss. And when Shizuo meant luckily, he really meant _luckily_. There was a surprising amount of force behind Izaya's blow, far stronger than anything human that exposed Izaya's true nature as an all-powerful spirit.

 

Shizuo cursed internally. In his weeks growing closer to Izaya, Shizuo had become naive. He overlooked Izaya's inhumane abilities far beyond what was feasibly possible for a person and instead chose to only see Izaya's human side. After seeing Izaya for so long as the weak, starved spirit who'd endured poisonings, stonings, the burning of his home, _everything,_  Shizuo forgot that beneath Izaya's unassuming exterior laid a dangerous spirit capable of extensive damage. Gritting his teeth, Shizuo steadied himself; bracing his feet wide and clutching a protruding piece wood beam twice his size as a makeshift weapon. Without hesitating, Izaya charged with full force toward Shizuo; teeth gnashing fiercely and feet digging craters into the ground with the force of his actions.

 

Izaya's body was slower and clumsy, lacking his usual fluid grace and the languid ease of his movements. It was as if he couldn't use his limbs properly, dragging his legs and teetering off balance with every step closer. Without missing a beat, Shizuo brandished the wood beam in both hands and swung, nicking Izaya's ear when the spirit ducked swiftly to pounce at Shizuo. Shizuo quickly held up the beam to create a shield between himself and Izaya, pushing with all his strength to get Izaya's snapping jaws away from his neck; a growl pulsing close to his ear. For once, Shizuo was thankful for his monstrous strength.

 

Izaya had his claws sunk deep into the wood; so deep that he couldn't rip his hands free. Taking advantage of his inability to move, Shizuo gripped the beam tightly and swung violently in a wide arc, over and over again. Despite Izaya's stubborn hold, his claws could only handle so much force before they ripped out from his fingers and sent him flying into the darkening sky.

 

Shizuo raced after him toward the familiar street lined with food stalls, yelling at the few people he passed to get as far away from there as possible. He instructed them to head west and disperse, reassuring them that Izaya was no longer there when they gave him less than confident stares.

 

"Heiwajima-kun!" Shizuo turned around to see Kuronuma-obaasan hobbling toward him as fast as she could in her old age.

 

"K-Kuronuma-obaasan? What are you doing here! It's not safe, get away from here!"

 

"Heiwajima-kun!" she repeated, ignoring Shizuo's warning. She looked at a loss for words, opening and closing her mouth like a fish and her eyes flashing with emotion she could not convey. "You have to do something," she pleaded needlessly, bowing her head when she reached Shizuo and gripping his arms deathly tight. She held out the blade she'd given him on his first day; the one that he now neglected to carry, seeing as he no longer needed it. "You forgot this, Heiwajima-kun." She looked like she wanted to scold him, but there wasn't enough time. "Please, you have to do something!"

 

Well, if there was one thing they could both agree on, it was that something had to be done about Izaya. Pressing his lips tight to avoid saying something problematic, Shizuo nodded curtly, accepted the sword, and pushed the old woman away and to safety.

 

Shizuo found Izaya crouching on the street doubled over in pain with his head in his hands in a similar position to when he'd found Izaya earlier. Shizuo kept a wide berth between himself and the writhing spirit, choosing to remain defensive rather than rushing into a fight. He didn't want aggression, but if it came down to it, Shizuo would stand his ground, even if that meant neutralising the spirit.

 

He flinched when Izaya let out a piercing scream, shaking his head violently. Drawing his sword, Shizuo kept the blade carefully trained on the agonised spirit if he made any sudden movements. Izaya let out another low keening noise, whipping his neck to stare at Shizuo fast enough to make an audible crack. He looked ready to pounce again; the muscles in his legs coiling tightly to spring at a moments notice and his tails lashing furiously behind him.

 

"Izaya..." he tried again, softer this time. "Izaya, c'mon." Izaya's head lifted slowly, looking a little less foggy than before. "Yeah, it's me, remember? It's Shizuo."

 

"Sh...Shizu..." A rasping gasp rattled from Izaya's throat, his words slurred.

 

"Wake up, Flea..." he pleaded, "I don't want to hurt you..."

 

Izaya ducked his head again, whimpering in pain as he lurched back. He looked like he was competing with himself, starting and stopping his movements sporadically before throwing himself to the ground. But Izaya's flash of clarity was fleeting, gone in an instant. Just as Shizuo hoped he wouldn't, Izaya bound closer; his claws outstretched and aiming for Shizuo's throat. Shizuo swiftly brought up the sword to parry the blow, sending Izaya's hand off course enough for Shizuo to dodge and take a swing at Izaya's legs. But before metal could catch skin, one of Izaya's tails intercepted, wrapping around the blade with amazing dexterity and nearly flinging it across the street.

 

Shizuo's grip remained firm and with a surge of strength, he twisted the sword out of Izaya's grip; slicing through blackened flesh and fur with enough power to amputate the top half of Izaya's tail. The spirit let out another roar and kicked out his hind legs, nicking Shizuo's chin with one of his claws. Arching his back, Shizuo narrowly avoided Izaya's second leg. He reached up to grab Izaya's outstretched limb with a crushing grip, strong enough that he could feel distorted bones shatter beneath his grip. Shizuo felt an uncomfortable jolt slither up his spine when he made contact with Izaya's bare skin; his every sense screeching at him to let go quickly. Grimacing at the sensation, Shizuo lifted his hand high into the air, apologizing quickly, and slamming him down into the ground hard enough to leave a Flea-sized sent in the cracked stone. While Izaya was dazed, Shizuo made quick work of restraining him, pinning Izaya to the ground bodily to stop the spirit from twisting out of his grip. But Shizuo completely forgot about Izaya's tails, and seemingly out of nowhere, the appendage whipped out from Izaya's body and struck Shizuo's side enough force that Shizuo felt his unbreakable bones cracking.

 

Stumbling backwards, Shizuo made it out of Izaya's reach; readjusting his sword in his grip and taking a few cautionary breaths. His ribs were definitely cracked, judging by the sharp pain that accompanied every inhale and exhale he made. Breathing slowly, Shizuo circled around the spirit who had also taken a defensive stance, glowering at Shizuo from behind cloudy eyes.

 

Shizuo couldn't keep fighting like he normally did; just by using his strength to overpower his opponents. This time, he needed to think; to plan his every movement accordingly. Because if he didn't, neither of them would be able to win. They were too evenly matched in terms of strength, but even Shizuo couldn't stand against an immortal being, no matter how indestructible he was. Best case scenario, there would just be a stalemate until one of them collapsed, and even then, it wouldn't be for certain that they'd get up again.

 

Wiping the already scabbing cut on his chin, Shizuo tried to think. Tried to formulate a plan that would stop Izaya without hurting him too much. _'Come on, Shizuo, think! There must be a way to restrain him somehow, or at least get him to wake up before he destroys more of his favourite village. Come on... Come on... What would Izaya do?'_ Scanning his peripherals without taking his eyes off the crouching spirit in front of him, Shizuo spotted a building far along the street from where he came. It was still relatively intact, with only a few signs of visible damage, but one good blow to the support beam on its left side would make the building collapse inward. _'Something stuck inside would be trapped...'_ his gaze flickered back to focus on Izaya who seemed unwilling to move until Shizuo did. _'If I get him over there... tire him out enough...'_

 

Shizuo was going to do something stupid. Something idiotic and dangerous and that might not even spell victory. It was a bad decision, only made by someone with a death wish. But Shizuo never did proclaim himself to be a maker of good decisions.

 

"Oi!" he yelled, "follow me, you shitty Fox!" Turning on his feet as quickly as he could, Shizuo made a beeline to the chosen building.

 

Shizuo prayed to any God that would listen that the adrenaline flowing through his veins would be enough to carry him to the building without being caught. But in their history, Izaya had always been faster; one step, leap, bound ahead. He should have known that it would never be a good idea to turn his back on a rabid animal, leaving his neck and back exposed without protection. And Shizuo's never had a good track record with the Gods...

 

He made it a few steps before Izaya was on him; claws raking down his side and jaws clamped tight over his shoulder. Shizuo let out a rough sound of pain as the added weight of Izaya's body threw his balance into the ground. The jolt as he made contact with the ground made his ribs burn, but Shizuo was sturdy, and rather than dwelling on the ache, Shizuo twisted his body with all the strength he could muster. It jostled Izaya's grip for a second before he bit down again with fervour, claws dragging at whatever skin he could reach and tearing Shizuo's clothing to shreds. Drawing his legs close to his torso, Shizuo kicked Izaya harshly in the gut, cringing in pain when the claws and teeth anchoring Izaya in place tore at muscle as they dislodged. Grunting loudly, he managed to reach the blade that had fallen from his palm. "I am so sorry," he breathed before driving the sharp end of it into Izaya's thigh.

 

The spirit roared in pain and dark blood oozed from the gaping hole, causing him to recoil into himself in pain and shock. With Izaya distracted, Shizuo managed to throw him off his body, abandoning the sword still lodged in Izaya's leg. Just as he'd expected, Izaya's skin began to restitch itself, closing itself around the sword and effectively trapping the metal deep in his flesh. Reaching over quickly, Shizuo bent the thin metal into a u-shape so the spirit couldn't pull the blade out.

 

Shizuo heaved himself along the ground away from Izaya, managing to get his legs beneath him after some effort. There was an uncomfortable weight on Shizuo's shoulders, fogging his mind. _'Maybe he's infecting me. Shit, that sounds stupid. But that's a thought for another time. Here he comes!'_ Pushing his legs to move, Shizuo found the momentum to dodge the sharp snap of Izaya's muzzle before they enclosed around his left leg. He threw his whole weight into a dodging roll before continuing his sprint to the collapsing building, nearly running himself into the ground.

 

Looking back, "Oi, IZAYA! Get over here!" he screamed, pulling Izaya's attention away from the sword in his leg - where Shizuo swore he looked ready to pull the thing through bone to get it out - and back to Shizuo. "Get over here, you stupid yokai! I need you to be tired if this is going to work!" With an enraged cry, Izaya lunged forward, any grace that might have remained in his advances were drowned out in his limping gait. Leaning down to grab a rock the size of his head as he ran, Shizuo chucked it at Izaya, landing dead centre in one of his eyes. He didn't have to look back to know that Izaya's full attention was now invested in Shizuo.

 

He was close. So very close! The building was just a few paces away, now. Just within his grasp...

 

But before he could reach the building, the world was pulled from under him and he was falling. "Fuck," he snarled. He was getting really tired of getting caught up like this. One of Izaya's claws snagged at his sandal, tripping him so he landed face-first into the unforgiving stone. It hurt, sure, but it didn't compare to the burning heat that wreathed through his calf. Grunting in pain, he looked back to see Izaya's teeth sunk deep into the muscle of his leg, growling like a big dog around Shizuo's limb.

 

Shizuo could feel _something_ flowing through his veins following the bite. Numbing and cold that washed his vision dark like the night. This was bad. He may not know what this was, but he could tell by the way his blood turned to ice that whatever was happening to him wasn't good. It drained his strength and made his limbs feel like limp, wet noodles and his brain a pile of mush.

 

Shizuo writhed in vain, pushing Izaya's head away, but the spirit didn't let up even once. He supposed that he should be grateful that Izaya wasn't tearing him apart, but it was hard to feel thankful with the heavy throbbing growing throughout his body.

 

Summoning the very last bits of his strength, Shizuo held his breath and tossed Izaya through the building; twisting his leg with all the force he could muster and launching Izaya toward the building. The force of it was enough to rip Izaya's jaws from his leg and out of their sockets, sending him straight through the wall. With a little extra help from Shizuo, the building collapsed in a great heap of wood and stone. A pained noise came from within the building, noticeably less feral and animalistic. Straining for sound, Shizuo picked up sharp, panicked inhales and the scratching of claws against stone. Leaning back, Shizuo collapsed onto his rear. He'd never felt this tired after a fight before. Even after fighting waves and waves of people in the past, Shizuo had never once felt the same bone-deep exhaustion as he did now.

 

A sharp inhale startled Shizuo, snapping his focus back to the rubble. The panicked sounds had ceased and it was now quiet, save for the hyperventilating breaths from within. An unclawed hand began creeping out from the shadows, the skin cut up and bloody, but nothing like the dark oozing mess from before. The fingernails that remained were broken and chipped, but they were far better than the inch-long claws that once decorated his extremities. Shakily, Shizuo reached out his own hand, brushing their fingers together before Izaya flinched back into the darkness of shadow, a whimper escaping from his throat.

 

"Sh...Shizu-chan" came a weak voice, sounding more lucid than he had all day. A flash of red appeared from the darkness. "W-What...?"

 

Springing to action, Shizuo clambered to pull the chunks of devastated building off of Izaya, throwing the rocks as he shakily balanced on his good leg. Finally, Shizuo managed to uncover Izaya's face, but he instantly recoiled. The spirit no longer stunk of his usual Flea stench, but instead was saturated with blood clinging heavy to his skin. A jagged piece of rock was lodged firmly in his temple, sending a river of dark-red blood cascading down his face.

 

"Shizu..." Shizuo reached out a hand, ready to pull out the shard with as much care as possible, but an invisible weight stopped him; steeping heaviness through his muscles. A sudden, violent surge of anger rushed through him. Shizuo withdrew his hand just before Izaya could reach out to touch him, grimacing in disgust. Confusion was evident in Izaya's eyes when Shizuo staggered back, his lips twisted in rage.

 

"What the _fuck_ was that about!" he roared, enraged. "Are you _crazy_! Do you have a fucking death wish, huh?! You could have killed your _precious humans_! You could have killed _me_ for _fuck's sake_!" Before Izaya could react, Shizuo grabbed him by the neck, forcefully removing him from tons of rubble despite Izaya's pained shriek. "And you call _me_ a monster!" Without thinking, Shizuo allowed his rage to take over his limbs; throwing Izaya ruthlessly down and kicking Izaya harshly in the stomach. The spirit curled in on himself, too weak to move. "I can't believe I wanted to _help_ you, you good for nothing Louse!" Another kick. Reaching down, he grabbed Izaya by the ear, "Stay the _fuck_ away from Ikebukuro, you hear," he spat, tossing him back to the ground. "You heard me," he roared, "get _out_! Leave before I _make you_!"

 

Scrambling to his feet, Izaya ran; slipping to the ground a few times, but running nonetheless.

 

Shizuo watched his form disappear from view before sudden dizziness overtook his vision, making him sway on his feet. Shizuo collapsed in a heap on the ground, the wounds from earlier finally catching up to his battered body. Faintly, he could feel blood seeping into his clothing, staining the fabric with blooming crimson flowers. The world was growing darker all around him, his senses fading one by one and the dark heaviness receding to the corners of his mind.

 

Just before he lost consciousness, he felt the first few drops splash on his face, flowing unshed tears down his cheekbone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kosode - "a basic Japanese robe for both men and women" - Wikipedia. Here's a site for more info:  
> http://www.fashionencyclopedia.com/fashion_costume_culture/Early-Cultures-Asia/Kosode.html
> 
> Kakebuton - Basically a duvet


	12. The Spirit

Nearly 3 days later, Shizuo finally awoke from unconsciousness.

 

The first thing he registered when he came to was the faint patter of rain against the sliding doors to his right, shut tightly against the drizzle outside. It was dark, as far as he could tell; possibly sunset or early evening. There was little sunlight peeking through the shutters, and the only light was coming from a small oil lamp in the corner of the room. The next thing he could feel was the stiff fabric of bandages tied tightly over his body, thickly slathered with an oily, bitter scented salve. Someone had changed him out of his bloody torn clothing and into a loose pair of hakama pants with a beige and white haori folded at his side.

 

Testing his fingers carefully, Shizuo clenched and unclenched his fist into the futon beneath him, slowly regaining feeling in his limbs. He groaned when he pushed himself up, ignoring the uncomfortable pull of his stitches in his shoulder when he flexed the muscle. The bandages wrapped from his shoulder down to his navel while another set was secured tightly to his calf and binding up to his knee.

 

Without thinking, Shizuo pulled roughly at the dressings on his shoulder, removing them with little care. A frown pulled at his lips when he ran his hand over the wrinkly skin, feeling liquid seep over his fingers with each press to the surface. Despite having his wounds looked over by Shinra and resting for at least 24 hours, the bite wounds in his shoulder refused to pause its slow trickle of blood, not even scabbing over. Shizuo's scowl deepened. Due to his monstrous physique, Shizuo was rarely ever hurt, and in the few instances where Shizuo _was_ injured, the cuts stitched themselves back together in a matter of hours, hardly ever leaving a scar. But even by human standards, his skin refusing to form scabs was not normal.

 

Before Shizuo could recklessly tear off the rest of his bandages to inspect the damage, the door slid open to reveal an exhausted-looking Kadota. Kadota blinked once at Shizuo's upright form, his eyes widening. "Shinra! Shinra, get over here!" He rushed to Shizuo's side, giving Shizuo a quick once over and grimaced when he set eyes on his shoulder. "What the hell do you think you're doing." He picked up the soiled fabric lying at Shizuo's side. "You're still bleeding, Shizuo."

 

"Yeah, I know," Shizuo grunted, his voice raspy from disuse. He coughed harshly into the back of his hand, clearing his throat as best as he could. "What happened?"

 

"Ask questions later," Kadota placed a calming hand on Shizuo's good shoulder. "You shouldn't have pulled off your bandages."

 

Shizuo gave him a one-armed shrug. "I'm usually fine by now, so I thought it'd be ok."

 

"Ma, Shizuo-kun, you're so reckless, as always!" came a cheery voice as Shinra entered the room, a medical bag in one hand and a bucket of sharp-smelling water in the other. "How are you feeling? Any headache or dizziness when you woke up? What do you remember last?" Shinra ran through the standard questions as he inspected Shizuo's unbandaged arm, frowning at the fresh blood that welled from his skin. He dipped a cloth into the bucket and pressed it over Shizuo's shoulder to clear away the slow stream of crimson and any extra salve.

 

"M'fine, Shinra. I'm just a little... out of it. How many days have I been out?"

 

"Almost 3 days," Kadota supplied, helping Shizuo take a sip of lukewarm tea while Shinra smoothed another layer of greasy balm over his skin with more consideration than normal. "We were beginning to worry you wouldn't wake up."

 

"Not that those worries were founded. We never have to worry about you, Shizuo-kun! He'll bounce back after anything!" Shizuo felt his annoyance growing at Shinra's complete dismissiveness of his state. Out of everyone, Shinra, being a doctor, would be most likely to notice Shizuo's lack of healing.

 

"So why the hell do I feel like such shit. And why are there still holes in my shoulder," he demanded, grabbing Shinra's collar with his uninjured hand and pulling him closer so they were eye to eye.

 

"Well, _technically_ they aren't holes, they're more like really deep cuts-"

 

" _Shinra_." He yanked the collar harder.

 

"...I'm not entirely sure," Shinra admitted, putting his hands up in surrender. "I've already done more than I normally do in an attempt to speed up the healing process, but nothing is really working for some reason."

 

Kadota sighed and tries to pry Shizuo's death grip off of Shinra. "Just give it a few more days for now. I'm sure you'll get better soon, you just need to rest. None of us saw what happened, but you looked pretty beat."

 

Shinra nodded and resumed rebandaging Shizuo's arm when the injured man reluctantly let go. "That Demon Fox really gave it to you, huh?"

 

_'Demon Fox... Demon Fox... Oh, shit, Izaya!'_

 

"Did either of you see him when he left?" Kadota and Shinra just gave him an odd look. "Izaya," he clarified. "Was he ok when he left?"

 

"No one was in the area except you and...Izaya," Kadota said. "But I doubt he walked away unharmed."

 

"Shit..." Memories from the fight slowly came back to him. The sudden rage that swelled through his entire being, swamping his senses and leaving only _kill maim destroy_ in its wake. Though everything was blurry, Shizuo vaguely remembered kicking Izaya while he was down. He remembered shouting at the spirit, spitting at him to leave. He remembered that desperate look Izaya had given him, unguarded and begging for help... What had he done? "I have to go back." He pushed off the blanket covering his lower half and reached for the folded haori, ready to stand.

 

"Woah, Woah," Kadota jumped at Shizuo's sudden shift, pushing him back down onto his futon "You can't do that, Shizuo," he spoke as if Shizuo was a confused child, "It's raining and you're hurt. You need to rest, remember?"

 

"Get off me, Kadota," Shizuo growled, shrugging off Kadota's hold with relative ease. "I need to make sure he's ok."

 

"Shizuo-"

 

"Shizuo-kun!" But before Shizuo could fully stand, dark shadows wrapped tightly around Shizuo's stomach, holding him in place on the futon. "Celty!" Shinra cooed, throwing his arms around her and kissing her hand before she pulled away.

 

"Celty. Let me go."

 

[No. You know I can't do that.]

 

"Celty..." he growled, wriggling in the grip of her shadows. "Let me _go_!" he roared, rage swelling to a crescendo in half a second. " _Let me go now_!" He snarled out a few more unintelligible threats before falling limp, exhaustion washing over his body. He could feel Celty's shadows quacking around him, though he was unsure if it was out of fear or fatigue from keeping him still. "I need to know if he's ok," he tried again, his words slow and calm in a last-ditch attempt to get Celty to let him go. He no longer had the strength to writhe out of Celty's hold, and his eyelids were going heavy. "Please..."

 

"You'll have time to do that later," Kadota said after a moment, sounding unsure for whatever reason. "You can visit him another time, but for now, rest."

 

This time, Shizuo didn't struggle and succumbed to the darkness of unconsciousness.

* * *

Shizuo was confined to the room for the next 2 days, only allowed to wander around his room slowly and use the bathroom, and even then he had to be supervised. During those days, Shizuo's skin still refused to seal itself, dumbfounding Shinra and every other doctor he brought along to examine Shizuo. On top of that, his energy had been greatly diminished, leaving Shizuo worn after the simplest of tasks. It felt like there was a weight on his shoulders and a fire scorching his bones, making it difficult to sleep.

 

It was too quiet at night. Shizuo had been relegated to his own room as to not be disturbed by the others, but the absence of any noise - of soft breathing or the gentle shifting of limbs - made Shizuo's spine crawl with apprehension. The quiet made it all too easy to think, to let his thoughts wander to the darkest corners of his mind. More often than not, his thoughts drifted to Izaya. Was he ok? Why did he go berserk? Was he suffering somewhere alone in the woods because of what Shizuo had done to him? Shizuo needed to know.

 

On one especially restless night, when the seconds seemed to tick by as aeons, Shizuo flung off the covers, grabbed the lamp, and limped as quietly as he could to Shinra and Celty's shared room. There was only one way he'd be able to reach Izaya, especially at this time of night, and that was Shooter and Celty.

 

Sliding the door open, Shizuo found Shinra snoring gently, buried in Celty's side. Judging the way Celty jumped when Shizuo stepped inside, she was wide awake but unwilling to turn and look at Shizuo.

 

"Celty," he whispered, but the Dullahan feigned sleep. "I know you're awake. I just...can we talk?"

 

Celty was still for a moment before shifting, carefully prying Shinra - who whined a bit at the loss of contact but stilled nonetheless - off of her and standing to collect her book and charcoal piece. They stepped onto the balcony in Shizuo's room in silence. Shizuo leaned against the railing heavily while Celty lingered back, a good arm's length away from Shizuo.

 

[So, what do you want to talk about?] Celty finally asked, her writing oddly small and demure.

 

"I...I just need to talk to someone," Shizuo muttered, raking a hand through his hair with his good hand to not jostle his shoulder. He needed to approach convincing Celty to take him into the forest carefully. He didn't want to worry her too much, but at the same time, he needed her to know why he had to see Izaya. "We just haven't been able to talk in a while," he covered lamely while thinking of ways to get Celty to understand.

 

[If that's all then we can talk in the morning.] Much to Shizuo's surprise, she turned to leave, shuffling toward the door speedily.

 

"Wait." Celty stopped in her tracks, shoulders tense. "What's up with you? Why won't you talk to me?"

 

Celty's hands balled to fists at her side before she began frantically scribbling in her book. [Are you actually Shizuo!] demanded Celty, thrusting the book into Shizuo's face. She looked defensive, her hackles raised as if bracing for a blow.

 

"Celty, do you see what you're writing? Of course, it's me."

 

[How can I be sure! How do I know you're not that Demon Fox possessing Shizuo!]

 

Shizuo fought down the urge to laugh. The very notion that Izaya was controlling Shizuo was absurd. "Celty, it's me. Just me. I'm the exact same Shizuo who you always gave advice to. The same Shizuo that you've been travelling with for 3 years." Slowly, Celty lowered her book 'staring' at Shizuo sceptically.

 

[Ah, sorry, Shizuo. I just had to make sure,] she wrote sheepishly, bowing her neck in apology.

 

He snorted a laugh, "What made you think I was possessed?"

 

The air went frigid in the time it took Celty to answer. She looked hesitant to say anything, but eventually, put her pencil to paper to respond. [There's this...darkness hanging over you, I'm not sure how to describe it. It isn't literal darkness, but it's stifling and saps away all the...goodness in the air, I guess. It makes everything heavy and cold and foggy when I get too close...]

 

_'Stifling heaviness...just like how I feel now. Just like how I felt that day by the river... And then Izaya did that thing and it went away...'_

 

"I need to see Izaya," he breathed before he felt the words forming on his tongue.

 

[What!? Shizuo, I know that you were...friends, and I'm sorry that I even suggested you _try_ to be friends in the first place, but that Demon Fox is dangerous! You saw how it went feral! It could still be on a rampage! And you're not back to full health, and you could get really hurt!]

 

"C'mon, Celty," he protested. "That dark aura? Izaya knows how to fix it! I'm pretty sure it's what's stopping me from healing. We can go on Shooter and be back before sunrise like we were never out in the first place!"

 

[Shizuo, do you _hear_ yourself? You can't just decide in the middle of the night that you need to visit a dangerous spirit that nearly killed you based on a hunch that may not even be true!]

 

"You have to trust me, Celty!" he sighed. He knew how absurd he sounded, but he still needed to try. "I know what I'm doing. I know Izaya."

 

[But do you really?] Her words made Shizuo pause. [After all this time getting to know him, what do you _really_ know about it; other than what it likes to eat and that it's cold all the time? You don't know anything; if it's spreading this darkness or even what it's capable of! What proof do you have that the Demon Fox is trustworthy? Maybe it's just playing to your good nature and manipulating you like the Kuronuma's have been saying! All _I_ know is that _it_ is dangerous, and I'm not going to let my best friend go back to that forest to his death!]

 

_'What do I know about him?'_ Shizuo knew Izaya, but Celty's words cast doubt on the few things that Shizuo was sure of. "I know he's not dangerous," he began, though his words didn't sound all that convincing in his own ears. "When he came to Ikebukuro...that wasn't _him_ , y'know? It was something else; something controlling him. Whatever it was, it wasn't Izaya." Celty folded her arms, clearly unconvinced, but Shizuo stared right back at her with growing confidence. "Izaya is a coward. He's so much of a coward that he'd rather hide than find a way out of the hellhole he's been trapped in; he'd rather live his life in squalor than being separated from his beloved people. He's a human-loving spirit who's heart is too fragile to even think of leaving this place. He likes doing idiotic things just to get a rise out of me, but not once has he tried to kill me. He's a brat and a coward, but he is not dangerous like what you think.

 

"Izaya's nothing like the Demon that stormed through Ikebukuro. He's more human than spirit. He has so many emotions; guilt and pain and loss and love for things that should be beneath him. A monster cannot have those emotions, Celty. Izaya may be a cowardly, bratty, emotionally-stunted guy, but he's not what you think he is. If he was really a monster, then why would I defend him? Why would I want better for him? Why would I..." The surge of words stopped, and Shizuo felt himself floundering. _'What was I going to say? Shit, why can't I think of anything?'_ With nothing else to say, "If you're not going to trust Izaya, then trust me."

 

They were both quiet, neither daring to even twitch. Shizuo wasn't entirely sure what he said, but he hoped his word-vomit would be enough to convince the Dullahan, even just a little bit. Celty held his stare as best as she could without a head but finally turned away. [While I don't approve of it...I'll help. Get what stuff you need and meet me at the stables in 10 minutes.]

 

He couldn't help the breath of relief when Celty relented. "Thank you, Celty."

* * *

[I'll wait for you here until the sun begins to rise, alright? If you're not here by then, I'm coming in to get you!] Celty anxiously shifted her weight beside a sleepy-looking Shooter, looking half-ready to drag Shizuo back to the estate and chain him to his room.

 

Shizuo nodded, pulling his Haori tighter over his shoulders. As he turned away, he could feel Celty's headless, disapproving stare boring into his back. Even if she would no longer protest Shizuo's intentions, she was clearly unhappy by his choices, and he was beginning to doubt his actions. Her words were a nagging voice growing louder and clearer in the back of his mind, whispering doubts and taunting everything he believed. Shizuo had to acknowledge that, in a way, Celty was right; he really _did_ know next to nothing about Izaya. But he was working on that, wasn't he? Plus, Celty didn't see the Izaya that Shizuo saw. She only saw the beastly, monstrous side of him.

 

She never saw the Izaya that was picky and fussy over every little thing, eluding to his pampered past. She never saw the tiny unguarded smiles Izaya let slip every now and then. She never saw the brat that Izaya could become; annoying for the most part but endearing in his own kind of way. In their short time as friends, Izaya had opened up to him fairly quickly; perhaps because Izaya trusted him or maybe because the loneliness was catching up on him and he just needed someone to talk to. No matter, because Shizuo was sure that he knew Izaya; the _real_ Izaya.

 

Pushing on through the forest with new invigoration, Shizuo managed to pinpoint a very faint scent trail leading north of the gorge. He'd never been this far north before, he noted as he passed the ravine, carefully avoiding the rocks, slick with frost. The ground began to slope downwards as he continued, making the treck more perilous than it needed to be. Eventually, the land began to level back into flat ground, revealing huge sections of forest unscarred by the fires of the past. It was filled with more life than anywhere else in Izaya's miserable territory, so it made sense that Izaya would seek refuge here. Following his nose, Shizuo soon found himself standing in front of a towering maple tree, its arms reaching up and extending toward the heavens. It stood apart from the rest of the woodland in its own little thicket, growing taller and wider than any other tree around it.

 

There was a hollow carved deep into the wood just above the roots, hidden in the bushes so well that Shizuo would have overlooked it if he hadn't picked up Izaya's smell. Within sat dark smudge, curled into a tight ball and melding into the shadows, making it nearly invisible in the low light. It was covered in leaf mould and dirt as if it had been there for years before Shizuo discovered it, but, of course, Shizuo knew better. Izaya was disguising himself, putting up a wall to avoid confrontation with Shizuo or anyone else.

 

At the very least, he looked alright. From his vantage point, Shizuo couldn't see any bones jutting from odd angles or open wounds pouring blood into the air. The air was stale and coppery, but Shizuo wasn't able to make out his bent sword still stuck in Izaya's leg, meaning at the very least, Izaya was no longer injured there.

 

Breathing a slow breath, Shizuo cautiously approached the hollow, making his presence clear with his unmuffled steps. He cleared his throat needlessly, his mind blank as to what he should say. _'I'm sorry for what I did. I never wanted to hurt you. Even if you were trying to kill me and I was angry, I shouldn't have done that.'_ He swallowed thickly. How the hell was he supposed to say that?

 

"What are you doing here, _Heiwajima_ ," Izaya spat before Shizuo could choke any words past his lips, Izaya's snarl reverberated in the tree and drowned out his voice. Shizuo felt a stab of disappointment when Izaya refused to refer to him by even his first name. "Leave. Get _out_." The words were oddly reminiscent but Shizuo couldn't tell why. He moved a step closer and Izaya withdrew further into himself; his back creating an impenetrable barrier between himself and the rest of the world. "What did I say," he hissed, his words sounding more stressed that threatening. "Leave. Go home. I'll stay away from Ikebukuro, so just...go." His last words were nearly unintelligible, they sounded so small.

 

"Izaya," Shizuo murmured, finally getting his vocal cords working over the lump in his throat. "Izaya, I-"

 

" _Don't_ say it."

 

"I have to because I am."

 

"Don't force yourself, Heiwajima. You're not doing anyone a favour by giving out false apologies."

 

"You of all people must know that I mean it when I say, I am sorry, Izaya."

 

"Stop it."

 

"Truly."

 

" _Stop_ it."

 

"I shouldn't have done what I did. Even though you tried to hurt me first, I shouldn't have done the same; I shouldn't have used violence against you."

 

"I said Stop It, Heiwajima," Izaya growled, finally turning to look at him. But the sharp words and feral snarl died on his lips when he made eye contact with Shizuo. Right before Izaya looked away, Shizuo could make out a flash of guilt and pain in his gaze. "I don't accept your stupid apology, alright, now get out. Leave before I make you. I hurt you once, I can do it again." Izaya turned around and flopped back down. Shizuo just sighed and sat himself down on one of the tree's roots. "...What are you doing?"

 

"I'm not leaving until you accept my apology."

 

"Just go home."

 

"I won't. I told you, I'm not leaving until you forgive me. You don't even have to mean it. I just need to hear it." Izaya groaned loudly but didn't respond, falling silent.

 

About 20 minutes later, when Shizuo was sorely regretting not bringing his pipe along, Izaya said, "Is...your shoulder and your leg...are they alright?" Izaya's voice was soft, hesitant, but Shizuo saw it as an opening.

 "They're ok," he replied simply, not exactly the truth but at least they didn't hurt; just refusing to get better. "They aren't healing for some reason, though. Do you remember that day by the river? You did something that made everything...lighter." The seconds ticked by between them and Shizuo was almost positive that Izaya was just ignoring him.

 

"Here." Looking up, Shizuo saw a few of Izaya's fingers extending from the hollow. "Give me your hand." Shizuo did as he was told and placed his fingertips against Izaya's. A familiar surging feeling rushed through his body, only this time it was much stronger. It felt like his organs were being rearranged in those few seconds of contact, but by the end of it, Shizuo felt lighter than air.

 

"Thanks," Shizuo murmured, flexing his fingers. Izaya's hand sunk down as if the effort of keeping the limb in the air was too much to bear. He almost swore he saw a familiar dark fluid sinking into Izaya's skin from where Shizuo's fingers had just been.

 

"I'm sorry," Izaya whispered after another few seconds, startling Shizuo. "I'm sorry that I destroyed the village and terrorized the humans I care so much for. I'm sorry that I went crazy like that, I just don't have control over it... I'm sorry that I hurt _you_." Instantly, Shizuo knew that Izaya wasn't just talking to him. "I'm sorry that I didn't push you away fast enough. I'm sorry that I selfishly kept you in my life despite knowing how dangerous it was for you. I'm sorry that I didn't come sooner; that I couldn't save you. I'm sorry that you died...because of me..." Izaya fell silent, and the only noise that emanated from the tree were ragged gasps and uneven breathing.

 

Taking a deep breath, "I forgive you." Izaya's breath stuttered in his throat. "For what you did; everything you did. You didn't cause any more damage than I've caused in my life," he joked weakly. "...I'm sure they forgive you, too. For whatever happened." He didn't know who exactly Izaya was talking about, but he had a hunch.

 

"They would _never_. Not even _I_ can forgive myself for what I did. For what I did to them." Izaya fell silent, save for his hitched breathing and a few raspy hiccups.

 

"Well, sometimes you have to forgive yourself first if you want to let go." Shizuo knew he was a hypocrite for saying it, and he knew that Izaya wasn't one for corny words of advice, but it felt like the right thing to say.

 

One again, they were plunged into silence; Shizuo unsure of what to say and Izaya unwilling to say anything, but this time, it was a little less stifling, a little less awkward. Looking up at the sky, Shizuo watched as clouds began to overshadow the moon and blink out the stars. He hadn't been paying attention earlier, but now it looked like it was going to rain. When he first few drops splashed down from the heavens, Shizuo shivered and tugged his haori over his head to shield himself.

 

Izaya cleared his throat hoarsely, mimicking Shizuo's earlier action. He let in a sharp inhaled, paused, then started to speak. "...Get in." The blond blinked confusedly at him. "There's room for 2 people in here." Suppressing a smile, Shizuo ducked into the surprisingly roomy hollow. That was probably as close to verbal forgiveness as he would get with Izaya. It was a bit of a squeeze to get Shizuo's bulky form into the tree, but Izaya's own skeletal body made it a bit easier.

 

The rain began to fall faster and heavier, creating comfortable white noise that filled the void where conversation died between them. He felt an icy hand gently caress his shoulder and he looked down to Izaya in his peripherals. "Are you...what did I to you here?"

 

"You don't remember?"

 

"I...black out when...I get like _that_."

 

Shizuo nodded. It confirmed Shizuo's belief that Izaya hadn't been _Izaya_ that day. "You, uh, bit be. Not too badly, but I think whatever possessed you infected me or something." He wanted to ask if that was how Izaya's darkness - or so he'd dubbed for now - worked, but Izaya looked so small and so tired that Shizuo didn't have the heart to ask. A million questions swirled through Shizuo's mind, some new and some old, but he held off.

 

Izaya leaned a little heavier against Shizuo and closed his eyes. His tail curled over his bare feet and brushed softly against Shizuo's own. The fur was miraculously soft despite being waterlogged from rain and heavy with a thick layer of dirt. Shifting his gaze down to look at Izaya a little closer, he took note of the small tremors running through his body, shivering in the cold. _'It's so cold,'_ Izaya had said on a leisurely day, relaxing by the sun-warmed rocks near the gorge. It felt like another lifetime when in reality, it was only a week or so ago. Wordlessly, Shizuo shifted his Haori from his good shoulder to place it around Izaya's shivering frame, simultaneously bringing Izaya closer to his chest.

 

"It's, uh...cold out," he said dumbly, his cheeks warming with self-consciousness. Izaya just hummed, his eyes remaining closed as he snuggled a little closer. Shizuo could see the faintest trace of light speckle Izaya's face, highlighting his sharp cheekbones and filling in the shadows of his gaunt face. A few droplets of moisture clung to his lashes resting heavy against his lower lid, remnants from earlier that Shizuo didn't comment on. His dark hair was tousled and matted but still managed to frame his face elegantly. The beaded string had come undone at some point and was now dangling rather precariously on a few loose locks of hair, and Shizuo fought the urge to brush the beads behind Izaya's ear, which was tickling the underside of his neck.

 

A muffled gust of breath blew across Shizuo's chest, indecipherable beneath the rain and through the fabric. He made a noise of confusion and Izaya repeated himself. "I don't deserve your apology, but...I forgive you." Shizuo pulled Izaya closer, feeling his heartbeat against his own. "It's so...warm, Shizu-chan," he whispered, but Shizuo heard him loud and clear. A bony hand reached out to clutch at Shizuo's shirt, gripping so tight that it turned his knuckles white. "I'm so sorry, Shizuo..."

 

Shizuo squeezed him tighter, closing his eyes to give Izaya a sense of privacy. He made sure to convince himself that the wetness growing on his Kimono was from the rain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boom! 2 chapters in 1! I know, I know, I'm amazing, aren't I? Lol, no, not really... I just wanted some kind of duality between the 2 chapters (demon...spirit...do you get it?)
> 
>  
> 
> Just a quick thing to justify why Izaya seems like a crying ooc baby. In my mind, after the trauma he went through 200 years ago - loosing the people he loved most, being rejected by the people he truly cared about, etc. - and not having an outlet to get over said trauma, he would probably break down to the next person he could trust, who is Shizuo. Bottling up emotions like that isn't healthy, even for an omnipotent spirit like Izaya.
> 
>  
> 
> Also, it was just sort of a self-indulgence thing where I projected my own inferiority complex onto him, so sorry for that.
> 
>  
> 
> So, at this point, the plot is a little...fuzzy in my head. I have an ending planned, it's just that the journey to get there isn't super ironed out. I planned this story very clearly up until this point, so if anyone has any suggestions, I am all ears. Anyways, that's all for this time. Comments and Kudos are greatly appreciated!


	13. The Truth Revealed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to start of by saying a sincere Thank You to everyone who's given me such lovely, wonderful comments! You're all so dang sweet and my heart can't take it! I swear, you guys are going to give me diabetes and I won't be able to finish lol!
> 
> But seriously, Thank you so so much! I probably sound repetitive or self-centered, but right now, I don't care. Thank you so much. Truly.
> 
> And, I just want to apologize for the month-long wait. School has come back to kick my ass...

Izaya hadn't even noticed he'd drifted off until his eyes fluttered open into hazy awareness. The sun was just beginning to crest over the horizon, spilling pale morning light through the woods and casting lazy shadows across the land. Blinking slowly, Izaya could feel just how swollen his face was; puffy and itchy with tear tracks. His lashes felt heavy and sticky with dried tears, and he didn't have to look to know that his eyes had taken on an unsightly shade of red. Shifting his head up slightly, Izaya found himself staring face to face with the blond samurai; his weight leaning heavily against the sturdy support of Shizuo's body.

 

Jolting away, Izaya finally felt his drowsiness melt like dew in the morning sun. Izaya's ears burned as memories of the previous night flooded his system, making him flush with embarrassment.  _'How_ pathetic  _am I?! Crying like an injured, petulant child, and to_ Shizuo  _of all people?! Clinging to him while I...'_ Izaya pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes in the hopes that it could block out all traces of the memory to little avail. He curved his body away from Shizuo's despite the comfortable warmth it offered and instead leaned against the wall of the hollow, attempting to slow his rapid heartbeat.

 

Izaya's mind felt slow and sluggish, mentally worn out from the emotionally taxing previous night. Since  _that day_ , Izaya decided that it would be better if he locked his emotions within his heart. There, they would no longer be able to cloud his judgment, and they would be kept safe from  _prying eyes_ , no matter how hard they tried to involve themselves. But now, just hours after the whirlwind of intense, outward emotion Izaya had experienced, Izaya had been left drained and at a complete loss as to what to do next. Guilt, grief, sadness, sorrow,  _forgiveness_ ; they all came spilling forth before Izaya could stop them, and he had no clue how to react to them all.

 

A part of him wanted to return to normalcy; go back to bottling up his thoughts and chain himself to this tree so he could rot for the rest of his sorry life. But that voice was small and insignificant, drowned out by the desire to curl back up into Shizuo's side and be  _comfortable_ again. He longed to stay here in this moment forever, away from the tragedies laid out from the past and at peace, warm in this little hollow...

 

Thankfully, Izaya didn't have to make any decisions, as Shizuo finally began to stir beside him. Shizuo yawned loudly and craned his stiff neck and groaning when the cramped space prevented him from stretching his limbs. He scowled in his half-sleep before opening his eyes to gaze heavy and unfocused in front of him. Izaya took a few more calming breaths to steady himself as best as he could before leaning a little more comfortably against the cold wall of the tree.

 

"Mm...'Zaya...?" Shizuo mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "Re'you awake?"

 

Izaya hummed, avoiding Shizuo's gaze. A burden, cold and heavy, collected in the pit of his stomach. Shame, Izaya supposed. Of his actions, of the previous night, of the forgiveness that he surely didn't deserve; and yet Shizuo had willingly given to him in the form of three words:  _'I forgive you'_. It churned Izaya's gut and made it impossible to look the samurai in the eyes.

 

"...Are you ok?"

 

"You should leave," Izaya deflected, hunching his shoulders further to create a barrier between them. "The village will be wondering where you are soon. You don't want to spark the conspiracy that the village saviour is colluding with the village menace."

 

"Ah, yeah. You're right. I don't want to keep Celty waiting..." But Shizuo didn't move. Izaya could feel his stare boring into his back. "...Can I come back tonight?"

 

 _'Leave!_ ' Izaya wanted to shout.  _'Get away from me. There's no point in coming back, you'll just get hurt.'_ But the words refused to choke past his lips; refused to meld into the sweet notes of false sincerity that he used to sing. Because Izaya knew that for once, his lies would convince no one. So instead, Izaya nodded curtly, refusing to say  _'yes'_  because he knew he would sound painfully genuine rather than distant and aloof as he was struggling to remain.

 

"Great." Shizuo's voice sounded breathless with relief, an unseen smile gracing his lips. He stood to leave, squeezing past the hollow to land deftly on his feet and shaking out his stiff limbs.

 

"W-wait Shizu-chan. Your Haori." Izaya stripped the article from his shoulders, suppressing a shiver as the morning chill rattled his bones.

 

"It's fine. You need it more than me." Shizuo lifted a hand in goodbye before rushing through the trees to get back to the village. "Don't sit around moping all day! You'll grow mushrooms," he called behind his back before he disappeared into the foliage.

 

Izaya rolled his eyes and settled so he was laying down. "Grow mushrooms..." He felt along the age-smooth wall of wood with practised ease until his hands found a sharp divet hidden in the darkness. Reaching into the crevice, he pulled out a thick notebook, carefully wrapped in wax paper. The pages smelt of damp mould and felt perpetually wet on Izaya's fingers, but Tsukumoya's records of everything he could find on Nebula remained remarkably well preserved. Izaya flipped to a random section and trailed his hand over the familiar handwriting, rereading information he'd already memorized as if it could tell him what to do. He closed the book after a few minutes and set it down with a sigh.

 

With nothing to do except lay there, Izaya closed his eyes once more in hopes that time would fly by so the sun would set, and the sky would darken to the starlit cover of night. He shivered and wrapped the thick haori over his shoulders once more, breathing in the heady scent of smoke that clung to its fibres; making the damp environment feel warm and dry. It was cold without another body pressed against his, but at least like this, it was just a touch warmer.

* * *

True to his word, Shizuo arrived late into the night; carrying an oil lamp and something that smelled  _delectable_ in a still-steaming container. In an instant, Izaya felt his ravenous hunger rear its head with vigour; his stomach demanding to be filled. Like yesterday, Shizuo approached slowly, making his presence known before settling on the roots of the great tree.

 

"Yo," Shizuo called, setting down the lamp and holding out the container. "I brought you some food. You must be starving." Without needing more permission, Izaya snatched the bento box from Shizuo's hands. Within, Izaya found a large portion of rice piled high with pickled vegetables and fish. Giving a quick prayer, Izaya inhaled the food in the blink of an eye, savouring the warmth pooling in his belly. 

 

"...Thank you..." Izaya mumbled as the embarrassment of his actions finally dawned on him. Shizuo just huffed a laugh, taking back the empty container. "Why are you back, Shizu-chan," Izaya asked tentatively. "You got what you wanted, so why are you still here?"

 

"Do you want me to leave?"

 

"I never said that."

 

Shizuo sighed. "I just...You can't keep living like this."

 

"Says who? I've been doing perfectly fine on my own here?" That was a lie, but at least Izaya was still alive.

 

"Says me, Flea." Shizuo pulled out his pipe, not to smoke but just to chew at the lip. "I want to help you."

 

"I don't need your help." A lie.

 

"But don't you want better for yourself?"

 

"I don't need better. I'm happy the way I am." Another lie. "I'm happy," he repeats as if the phrase would somehow make it true.

 

"So you're honestly telling me that you're ok with how you are now?" he demanded, a hint of annoyance creeping into his tone. "That you're alright with living in this shithole forest by yourself? With turning into a brainless monster every few months and destroying everything?"

 

 _'Yes'_  he wanted to say, but the word died on his lips; his voice unwilling to lilt into the casual dishonesty that once came so easily to him. "...I can't do anything about that." He tilted his gaze away from Shizuo's, letting his hair fan out into a wall to keep himself hidden.

 

"Have you ever  _tried_ to do anything?"

 

A hot rush of anger flooded Izaya's system. "Don't you _dare_ accuse me of not doing anything, Shizuo," he hissed; ears pressed flat against his skull and sharp teeth bared in a snarl. "I have tried. I've tried everything, and I'm telling you now that nothing has worked." He felt a pull of sadness in his chest at his own helplessness as it was laid out into the air. "Anything you think of, I'll have already tried it by now."

 

Shizuo was silent, blindly going through the motions of filling his pipe as he thought. "...So, you've tried leaving then?"

 

"Ah! Of course! Leave! Why haven't  _I_ thought of that!" he exclaimed sarcastically before scoffing. "I can't leave." Even if he could, he probably wouldn't, but neither of them comments on the fact.

 

"Is it because of the...guilt thing?" Shizuo asked cautiously, but Izaya shook his head.

 

"I physically can't leave. There's an invisible barrier at the edges of my territory." He pointed to a small group of bushes a few paces north. "I can't go beyond that point." Shizuo squinted his eyes, frowning at the thicket. Izaya didn't have to use his clairvoyance to hear the words  _'prove it'_  ring through his head. He rolled his eyes and pushed himself out of the tree; joints squealing in protest with every move. Izaya limped his way to the invisible barrier. Holding out his hand, he pressed it into the air; pushing outward until he felt resistance against his touch. It was a looming wall of invisible iron; clear as ice and just as cold. He pitched his arm back as if throwing a punch and hit the barrier with all his might; stopping in midair as the jolt of impact reverberated through his arm.

 

Shizuo frowned further and moved to stand opposite of Izaya. His hand reached out to gently take hold of Izaya's wrist, and he slowly tried to bring Izaya's limb toward himself. "See," Izaya murmured when his body refused to move past the thicket no matter how hard Shizuo pulled. "I can't leave."

 

"Are you sure this surrounds you? What if there's a gap somewhere. Maybe you could-

 

"I've tried already, Shizu-chan," Izaya said tiredly. "This barrier surrounds Ikebukuro in a giant circle, and I've followed it the whole way, but there is no hole. Nothing." Izaya stepped back, bringing Shizuo with as he gently pulled his wrist. "I'm stuck here. It's pointless." Despite sleeping nearly all day, Izaya suddenly felt incredibly tired. He leaned against the tree to ease the strain on his shaking legs, his mind focusing on the comfortable point of warmth from Shizuo's steady grip on his wrist.

 

"But what if-"

 

"No, Shizu-chan. Nothing will work. Can you hear me through your thick skull or am I just speaking to air?"

 

"But what if I help you this time?" Izaya could hear the beginnings of a growl growing in Shizuo's chest, but oddly enough Shizuo remained calm. "Maybe you just couldn't do it on your own."

 

"Your help will change nothing, Shizu-chan."

 

"But what if it does." Izaya wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. Shizuo sounded so sure of himself. So naive. So much like he did when he thought he had everything under control... "Maybe I can do something to make things better. Don't you  _want_ better, Izaya?" He almost felt a spark of hope form in his chest. _'I_ do  _want better. I want to be warm. I want to be able to love my humans without hurting them. I want... I want...'_

 

"And what will your help entail, exactly?" Izaya asked, deciding to humour both himself and Shizuo for a moment.

 

"I...don't know," Shizuo answered honestly, making Izaya stutter out a laugh. "You just have to trust that we'll figure things out."

 

"Really?" Izaya asked, raising a brow. Surely Shizuo knew how dumb he sounded. "That's what you're planning to do? Hope that trust makes everything work out? After all that's happened, you think there's trust between us?"

 

Shizuo blinked and ducked his head, coughing slightly to avoid Izaya's face. "Well, I mean," he cleared his throat again before mumbling, "friends trust friends." Izaya felt a jolt of shock run through his system. Friends. Could they call themselves friends? Clearly, Shizuo considered them to be, but did Izaya deserve to have friends again? "And I know it sounds stupid, but I have a hunch as to what might be going on," Shizuo continued, rambling when he saw the odd look on Izaya's face. "There's something...wrong about the story the Kuronuma's are telling. Not to mention the hundreds of lost records from when the whole thing began. And I think the infection you have might be related to why you can't leave and why you go crazy..." He trailed off his rant eventually; going quiet when Izaya didn't say anything. "I just need more information, and I was hoping I could get it from you."

 

Shizuo's grip on Izaya squeezed just a little tighter, grounding Izaya's thoughts just enough for him to think clearly.  _'Should I...'_  Izaya's mind wondered.  _'Maybe...maybe he_ can  _help. And things might get better. But...what if it doesn't. What if nothing changes and all I would be doing is putting another person I...care about in danger?'_

 

"You'll never know what might happen until you try," Shizuo murmured as if reading Izaya's troubled thoughts. But when Izaya made no indication of believing Shizuo, he stepped back and let go of Izaya's hand. Izaya suppressed a shudder as the chill of the air once again sunk itself into his skin. "Think about it for now." He bent down to pick up the now-cold bento and the smouldering lantern. "I'll come back tomorrow night. It looks like it'll be dawn soon." He turned to leave, and though Izaya wanted to say something, no words formed on his tongue. He was rooted to the spot, unable to reach out to stop Shizuo before he disappeared into the veiled darkness.

 

 _'Move!'_  he screamed to his limbs, fighting the cold paralysis binding his movements.  _'If you work together, you'll have access to documents that you didn't before. Combine that with Tsukumoya's journal, and maybe I can figure out just what Nebula did to me! And then...things will get better...'_  Ignoring the nagging voice of reason that scolded him for believing Shizuo's idiocy, he finally got his limbs to work. In a rush he grabbed the notebook from the hollow, and ran in the direction of Ikebukuro, hoping that he could catch up to Shizuo.

 

Stumbling through the woods, Izaya eventually crashed into the solid wall of Shizuo's back; nearly falling to the ground before Shizuo caught his forearm. "Shizu-chan," he gasped, having just exerted the last of his energy running uphill through the woods. "Take this." He shoved the notebook into Shizuo's chest, avoiding his eyes in the darkness. "Just...it has what you need. I...-" he felt his face flush "-I still don't think this is going to work, but you always have been full of surprises. So..." Izaya couldn't find the words to say what he needed to say.  _'I don't think this will work but...please. Please try to do something. You're the first person in 200 years that's tried to do something for me so..._ please _...'_ Shizuo just nodded in wordless understanding.

 

Shizuo enclosed his palm over the notebook gently and gave Izaya a small smile that seemed to shine in the darkness.  _'Thank you, Izaya.'_

* * *

The darkness of early morning still lingered when Shizuo and Celty got back to the estate, veiling the whole area in inky blackness. Unlike yesterday, when they had been caught sneaking out and were forced to give a flimsy excuse - Shizuo just  _really_ needed some fresh air - the two got back at the perfect time. Not a soul in the giant Kuronuma house was awake, giving them ample time for Celty to put Shooter back into his stable and for Shizuo to sneak back into his room; eager to unveil the secrets hidden beneath the sealed wax paper.

 

Sitting on his futon, he relit the oil lamp and grabbed his own notebook; opening it to a random blank page to record his findings. Taking a quick breath, he pulled out the bundle from beneath his sleeve, setting it down carefully. He examined it for a second, turning it over in his hands. To Shizuo's surprise, Izaya had given up the parcel rather quickly, only objecting a few times before giving in. Shizuo was almost sure that he'd done it on a whim; just to entertain Shizuo's admittedly stupid idea so he could laugh at him. But that imploring glint in his eyes, the silent 'please' in his tired gaze; it all pointed to the opposite.

 

Delicately peeling back the protective layer of wax paper, Shizuo found a thick, leatherbound notebook with age-yellow pages and neat lines of old kanji letters. There was a glistening red seal at the end of each passage, reflecting off the low light as if it was still wet. The characters of the seal seemed to fade in and out of clarity every few seconds, making it impossible to read. It looked like one of the records he'd looked through while at the library nearly a month ago. There was a name etched to the bottom corner, faded and in a scrolling font that he couldn't decipher. Opening the fragile cover, the words 'Nebula organization and spiritual connection' was written in sharp, angular letters; still strikingly clear on the paper.

 

Remaining mindful of the delicate bindings, Shizuo flipped to a random page. His eyes were instantly drawn to the messy square of writing, unassuming at a passing glance but horrifying once he could see the details. It was a short passage but filled with so much information at once that Shizuo could hardly process it.

 

_'As of today, Nebula has officially moved away from plant fae's and are now targeting spirits capable of minimal cognitive thought. The first experiments were performed today under the supervision of the head researcher to massive failure. The yokai they captured was killed in minutes as the corruption consumed it. Immediately afterwards, the decay began to spread to surrounding plant life and has now left a permanent ring of rot around the spirit's carcass. More experiments are pending.'_

 

Turning the page, he found another entry dated a week after the previous. It followed a frighteningly similar narrative, in which another yokai was captured and detained; used as a test subject for a yet-to-be-known goal. In the end, just like last time, the spirit died a gruesome death; succumbing to the effects of the  _corruption_  in a matter of seconds.

 

Sitting back, Shizuo put down the notebook to give himself some room to breathe. Despite only reading a few lines, Shizuo felt his mind reeling and struggling to comprehend what he'd just read. He wished Izaya were there. At least then he might be able to understand. This was not what Shizuo was expecting when he took the package from Izaya's shaking hands. He thought it might have just been a diary, a recollection of events from the past that would give him an easy to digest explanation of what happened. Not whatever  _this_  was. Sunlight had long since begun filtering into his stuffy room, and there was still so much to get through. 

 

But an image flashed through his mind briefly; a horrific picture of Izaya squirming on the ground, helpless as blight, black as night overtook his body and his mind. He shuddered, clenching his fingers tightly into fists. Taking a deep breath through his nose, Shizuo strengthened his resolve, reminding himself of why he was doing this.

 

Once again, he reached out to pick up the notebook.

* * *

"...-zuo? Shizuo? Shizuo!" Shizuo blinked back into focus when Shinra pressed a little too hard on a still-sore wound on his shoulder.

 

"Shinra, what the fuck," he hissed, swatting the doctor's hand away with more force than necessary. "I might be indestructible, but that still hurts."

 

"Hm. Just checking if you were still with me or not." Shinra waved his hand flippantly before going back to his previous task of rewrapping Shizuo's bandages. Shizuo grumbled under his breath and pushed down the urge to roughly shrug Shinra's hands off of him.

 

His wounds had finally begun to heal once Izaya removed the corruption from his veins, and was now just an itchy scab rather than a gaping hole in his shoulder. The skin was still tender and puffy, sensitive to the touch due to an apparent infection; but Shinra had said he was keeping an eye on it to make sure it didn't escalate to anything serious. He growled when Shinra smeared a generous layer of salve across his shoulder, causing it to sting sharply and bite at his nose with its bitter scent. He felt his body tense and fold into himself as Shinra worked despite the doctor not provoking him anymore.

 

As Shinra continued, Shizuo's anger settled slightly and his thoughts once again drifted to the book; his eyes wandering to its place on his pillow at his side, innocently sitting there as if it didn't contain gruesome horrors of the past. 

 

It had taken him several hours to pour through everything the book had to offer - every formula, map, drawing, and diary entry - and by the time Shinra had entered his room to check his injuries, it was late into the afternoon. Throughout the gruelling process, Shizuo made as many brief notes as he could about everything he could understand; filling his own notebook with pages upon pages of information. From what he gathered, Shizuo pieced together that Nebula, which he believed to be some kind of god, was actually an organization created with the sole purpose of harnessing and using spiritual energy to create some kind of army. Over years of work, they managed to perfect the formula needed to place spirits under their control and planned to use Izaya as a test subject; and from what Shizuo had seen, it had worked.

 

The crazed beast that Izaya became was all due to the blight coursing through his veins from an experiment that was meant to control his mind and body; corrupting his spirit to be used on the whims of greedy humans. But something must have gone wrong. Shizuo was sure of it. If Nebula had been truly successful in their final experiments, they would have conquered all the spirits in Japan by now, and yet they hadn't. Perhaps it was the tragedy that happened 200 years ago; the one that Izaya refused to elaborate on and that suspiciously had little to no records detailing the event. Maybe the formula just failed, leaving Izaya a monster with no hopes of being controlled. Whatever it was, Shizuo would need Izaya's help to understand everything. But with no means of finding anything new, seeing as any clues as to what might have happened had long disappeared, Shizuo was at a loss for what to do.

 

Shizuo felt drained, exhausted. He didn't know what to feel anymore. He was outraged - his teeth gnashing at the very thought of Izaya being tortured for centuries due to the selfish acts of people who wanted to control him - but who was he angry with? The scientists, no doubt, who dared to do such a horrendous thing, but should he be mad with the Kuronuma's, too? The people who made Izaya'a already hellish life worse? The people who hired him to off Izaya without so much as a second thought? Shizuo took a deep breath to stop his train of thought, feeling his jaw tensing on involuntary rage.

 

"Calm down, Shizuo-kun," Shinra murmured, ignoring Shizuo's furious glare, "You're done." Shinra sat back, far out of Shizuo's reach just in case the blonde got angrier. "Do you want to tell me what's bothering you so much?"

 

Shizuo jerked his head to his half-open notebook, half-covered by his futon. He wasn't in the mood to talk now, not when he felt like seconds from exploding. Shinra shuffled over to the notebook, flipping through the marked pages with a furrow in his brow that deepened as he read over the messily scribbled letters. They sat in silence while Shinra flipped through the worn pages, looking over the text himself while Shizuo fumbled with his pipe, in desperate need for the soothing lull of nicotine.

 

"Are you sure all of this is true?"

 

 _"Am I sure?"_  Shizuo hissed, his eyes narrowing and his lips twisting into a scowl. Shinra just raised his arms in surrender, dropping the subject and reaching out for Izaya's notebook. "I might not be smart, Shinra, but I know enough to understand what I'm reading. This explains everything. Why Izaya goes crazy all the time, how he infected me, what Nebula actually is, everything!" he growled roughly and took in a deep breath of smoke, digging his fingers heavily into the fabric beneath his knuckles to let loose some of the energy building in his system.

 

"Well, this certainly isn't...ideal," Shinra muttered, nearing the end of the book. He squinted at one of the pages. "I think these two are stuck together." The sheets in question were stiff and bulky, bulging with what Shizuo assumed were air pockets.

 

"I know-" he took a breath from his Kiseru and adjusted his position on his futon "-I didn't have the patience to open it myself."

 

With careful movements, Shinra delicately peeled the two pages apart; teasing it open with lithe fingers. As it turned out, the pages were only sealed together at the edges, hiding a thin sheet of parchment within. The paper looked just as old as the rest of the book, but Shizuo instantly recognized that the handwriting was different. Unlike the previous writing that was riddled with strokes that bled into each other, this was neat and precise, the letters a little less sharp with short, dark strokes. There was no signature at the bottom, not even a stamp at the end. "Izaya wrote this," Shizuo breathed, ghosting his finger over the kanji. "This isn't from the author."

 

"This was probably added later on." Shinra trailed his hand down the new find, tracing the still-crisp edge of it. "Izaya probably found something out after the author gave him this book and added it in." Shizuo examined the paper carefully, willing his tired brain to comprehend the script in front of his eyes.

 

They were names; that he could tell. A whole list of them in no specific order.  _'Toyama Akihiko, Konya Daichi, Nakura Juuzo, Yagiri Satomi..._ Kishitani Shinzo _\- Head researcher.'_

 

Shizuo heard Shinra take in a sharp inhale, no doubt reading the last name.

 

"My family's been here a long time, but... T-This has to be false, Shizuo."

 

"Are you calling Izaya a liar?" he hissed dangerously.

 

"I come from a family of doctors," Shinra stuttered, ignoring the question. "We aren't scientists with an evil agenda. And I'm not saying that Izaya is a liar, I just think he got something wrong. Misinterpreted something, or didn't hear something correctly. Either way, this  _can't_ be true."

 

"Then let's prove it. Let's go look through your family records and see what they say." Shinra blinked in mild alarm when Shizuo stood abruptly, pulling the fresh bandages slightly with the jostling motion. "As you said, your family's been in Ikebukuro for decades. You must have personal records somewhere. If you're so sure this is fake, we can go verify it now." Shinra was silent, clearly troubled by the implications the list of names made about his family history. Despite willingly admitting that his family was crazy, it seemed that Shinra still held onto a shred of pride regarding his family name. "Think about it, if one of your ancestors was heading Nebula, there must be insider details of the experiments they were performing. I might be able to find something,  _anything_ , that might be able to help Izaya." He felt a little awkward lecturing Shinra of all people about how he needed to see reason, but Shizuo saw some of the tension in Shinra's gaze lessen.

 

"Well-" Shinra finally relented, fixing Shizuo with a cheerful, albeit strained, grin "-I'm sure my father would appreciate a visit, and you  _do_ need some fresh air..."

* * *

 

The streets of Ikebukuro were desolate and empty, a startling contrast from the busy, traffic-heavy bustle from just weeks prior. Instead, it was sombre and quiet, heavy with premonition and fear that the Demon Fox would strike once again. With destruction still lingering in the city and the electric buzz of nervousness tainting the air, everyone had hidden in the shelter of their homes; cowering away from the outside world as if a wall of wood and stone could stop a rampaging beast. Rumours of the Demon Fox once again ran rampant through the streets, the previous belief that it was 'just a bear' completely dispelled by the recent attack.

 

The only two people who dared walk the main streets of Ikebukuro were Shizuo and Shinra, making their way toward the north-centre of the village. It made Shizuo uneasy to see the ghost town that Ikebukuro had become in the wake of Izaya's wild encounter. It was like everyone had disappeared,  _died_ , after the incident. The very thought made his skin crawl.

 

He was mildly reassured by his own mind reminding him that once this was all over, no more tragedy would befall anyone - Izaya, the Kuronuma's, the villagers, everyone; but also Shinra's constant chattering, filling the desolate silence. Though it echoed jarringly, Shinra's presence beside him as they walked, or limped in Shizuo's case, soothed his nerves and made the fact that they were finding out if Shinra's ancestors were heartless spirit murderers a little more bearable. Shizuo could tell that Shinra was just as nervous, if not more than he was; judging by his fast-paced words that bled into each other unintelligibly every once in a while.

 

With little trouble, the two made it to Shinra's familial home. After an awkward meeting with Kishitani Shingen - in which he complained to his son about not letting him check Shizuo's wounds and test his monstrous strength - they made it to a nondescript room tucked in a corner of the estate where records were stored. The room was cramped and small, blocked off from the rest of the house and distinctly smelling of mould. The walls were covered in scrolls, many of the haphazardly stacked on top of each other and hastily tied.

 

"Well, here we are, I suppose." Shinra wiped off a thin layer of dust from one of the scrolls, fiddling with one of them just to give himself something to do with his twitching fingers. "Where do you want to start?"

 

Shizuo frowned, flipping through the many scrolls of text. From the outside, there was no way of knowing from what period they were from or what was within. Which left them with no other choice...

 

For over an hour, the two skimmed through everything they could find. It didn't help that none of the scrolls was organized, but eventually, Shizuo reached into an unread heap and found exactly what he was looking for. The document was waterstained and stiff, crumpled and jagged at the edges where age had worn the thick washi paper thin. There was a pit building in Shizuo's stomach, his gut forewarning him of what truths the scroll might reveal.

 

Opening it with a careful slide of his fingers, Shizuo found worn, faded blocks of text. Characters were dripping from where water had splashed on them, and some sections were gone entirely, but it was legible nonetheless.

 

_'As of today, Nebula has officially disbanded. Everyone who survived the Fox's attack has fled to different parts of Japan, and good riddance to them! If they had any shred of loyalty, they would continue their research! Our findings could have changed society as we know it, and yet they were all too cowardly to step up to the plate and persevere!'_

 

There was an angry-looking scribble imprinted in the margins.

 

_'On top of that, every piece of research I made has been burned! Never to be used again. That damned Nakura's brainless offspring got cocky and tested out my final creation before it could be finished; and once his actions couldn't be taken back, his cowardly father burned every document, formula, and research entry I had! While I will try to recreate everything as much as I can, it will admittedly be difficult to perform experiments without Yagiri as my assistant or subjects to test on.'_

 

Unfurling the scroll further, Shizuo read through knowledge he'd already gleaned from the book. Basic formula's, the effects corruption has on spirits and the after-effects on people, everything; until,

 

_'The final, unfinished experiment that Nakura's mindless son decided to test was a dart, specially made for capturing the Fox. It was designed to pierce beneath the skin like a blade rather than be absorbed. I hypothesized that it would increase blight levels and make the Fox easier to control, a hypothesis that I will never be able to test again. Through spiritual energy, that dart was connected to a seal which was meant to permanently bind the Fox into a 'contract', as I like to put it. If that seal worked, the Fox would be wholly under our control; but, of course, Nakura's actions distinguished any chance of that happening._

 

_'Like the dart, the seal was unfinished, an unpolished product that was not fit for use so soon. And though the dart appeared successful at first, the corruption soon gave way once it was expelled during the attack. The Fox is now in hiding in the forest, but I don't doubt that when the blight builds in its system again, it will be back. It goes without saying that the seal was hidden in an undisclosed location where it will remain safe until I can resume my experiments.'_

 

The scroll went on for several more lines, ranting about how 'Nakura sabotaged any and all chance of my dream becoming reality' and how his research will 'never be complete because of that dreamy-eyed, Fox-obsessed boy!'.

 

A curl of disgust inched up Shizuo's spine as he reread the words, his lips twisting into a snarl when he imagined the flippant tone the words would have been said in. He knew that he should probably be used to the way people referred to Izaya as just an object - a thing to be killed, or experimented on, or avoided - but it still made his veins thrum with anger. The revulsion in his blood reached its boiling point, and suddenly, Shizuo no longer wanted to stay in a room where the vile man who corrupted Izaya once stood. "Shinra," he grated out, dropping the old paper to avoid crushing it between his fingers. "Let's go."

* * *

[No, no no! A million times no, Shizuo!] Celty thrust the parchment into Shizuo's face, jabbing her finger none too lightly into his chest for emphasis. [You are  _not_  bringing that Fox here!] It had been a long time since Shizuo and Celty had a real fight, but recently it seemed like that was all they were doing nowadays.

 

The minute Shizuo and Shinra left the Kishitani estate, Shizuo had been formulating a plan. A plan that required Izaya to sneak into the estate, find the hidden seal, destroy it, and take Izaya away from Ikebukuro where he could start a new life in peace. A plan that needed everyone's help to be pulled off smoothly. A plan that Celty resolutely refused to be a part of.

 

So far, he'd been trying to convince them for over an hour, but none of them budged.

 

[I can't help you do this, Shizuo. Not this time.]

 

Kadota and Saburo were sitting quietly in the corner, mulling over everything that Shizuo and Shinra were telling them. Judging by the blank look on Saburo's face and the deep-furrowed consideration on Kadota's, they were both reeling from the revelation. Yumasaki and Karisawa had yet to comment, even though Shizuo had been counting on them the most for support of his idea.

 

"How are you certain that this...Fox won't go crazy again?" Kadota finally asked. "Not to mention, will it even be able to  _find_  this seal? What about destroying it? ...There are so many variables to consider in this, Shizuo. So many things can go wrong."

 

"But if I get it right, then things will be infinitely better for everyone. The Kuronuma's, Izaya, the villagers; they can all find peace in one way or the other."

 

[ _Or_ , something terrible could happen! Are you willing to put the lives of everyone living here at risk so you can test to see if this even works?] Celty demanded.

 

"There wouldn't  _be_  a risk in the first place," Shizuo growled, unable to soften his words before they escaped his mouth. "Izaya's not dangerous."

 

[Then how do you explain-]

 

"That wasn't his fault. He's not in control of that. Celty-" he picked up the scroll "-it says the corruption controlled him, and once he's expelled it all, he's stable again until the blight builds in his system. That means he's stable for at least a few weeks, so he won't do anything crazy. And even if he did, I can stop him again."

 

"Ok, ok." Saburo ran his hands through his hair as he struggled to grasp what was being said. "Let's say, for hypothetical's sake, we  _do_  agree to help you. How the hell are we supposed to sneak it into the estate? This is the  _Kuronuma_  estate! They would try to kill it if we brought it here!"

 

"That's where my darling Celty would come in." Shinra moved to stand beside Shizuo. Though the doctor didn't quite approve of the plan, he was the only one to stand in support of Shizuo. He knew that it was probably partly out of guilt; but right now, Shizuo would take what he could get. "She would hide him in her shadows and drive him back. After that, we just need to keep him hidden in a spare closet and keep quiet about the whole thing. As for the seal, it's most likely hidden in my family's estate."

 

"And even if it's not, Izaya can sense the energy coming off of it, and we can find and destroy it." That was a bit of a guess on Shizuo's part, but he was feeling confident. Izaya had been able to sense blight off of him in the past, so it wasn't much of a stretch to think that he would be able to find a seal infused with spiritual energy. "Destroying it will be a cinch. I destroy things all the time, what's one more?"

 

Kadota let out a deep sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Alright." He sounded resigned, but his support made the nervous pressure in Shizuo's chest ease considerably.

 

"Seriously?" Saburo hissed, looking to Kadota in disbelief.

 

"I'll help," Kadota continued. "But I want to meet this Fox first. I need to know if it's... if  _he's_ trustworthy or not." Shizuo let out a gust of relief. Knowing the others, they would follow Kadota. 

 

Saburo stared at Kadota for a while before his shoulders slumped and he nodded tiredly. "I swear, Shizuo if it kills one of us, or destroys my wagon..."

 

"He won't," Shizuo said instantly. "He would never." Saburo gave him a disbelieving look, but he didn't say any more words of protest.

 

"We'll help you, too!" Karisawa called loudly.

 

"A mystery to solve with ancient secrets! It's like we're the protagonists of  _Nansō Satomi Hakkenden_!"

 

"No, no. It's more like the works of  _Santō Kyōden_! Either way, we're going to help you!"

 

Now there was only one more person... Shizuo turned back to Celty, who looked incredibly conflicted.

 

"Celty," Shizuo started, "I know you don't trust Izaya, but you  _can_ trust me. I don't care if you like him or not, but I need you to understand that Izaya isn't a bad person. He wouldn't willingly cause everyone harm. Not even the Kuronuma's."

 

[You're right. I don't trust it. I don't like it at all. If I'm going to be honest, I really wish you could just go back out and kill it.] Shizuo felt his fists clench at his sides when Celty said 'kill'. [...But, I agree with Kadota: I want to meet it first. But the second something seems off, or something happens, I  _will_  protect myself and the others from it. I will refuse to help you.]

 

Shizuo felt the tension melt off his shoulder. With Celty finally on board - albeit unhappily - they could set their plan into motion within the next day.

 

"Thank you, guys. I know it's hard to believe me, but... thanks. I'm going to go talk to Izaya tomorrow night and convince him to come back with me. It shouldn't take too long, maybe two days at the most. Celty, Saburo, and Kadota will wait outside to bring Izaya back to the estate, and we'll keep going from there." The others still looked wary - save for Karisawa and Yumasaki, who both looked a little too eager - but nodded nonetheless.

 

Adrenaline rushed through his veins as the high he'd been riding from the previous night finally picked up again. Though he originally doubted that he could do much, things were truly looking up.

 

But then there was a sound from behind him, the slight creak of a door sliding open. Shizuo whipped around, his mind scrambling for an excuse as he saw Mikado, sitting on his knees with a tray of steaming tea next to him. There was a sharp gleam in the boy's eyes, reflecting wild intrigue and a crazed curiosity.

 

"Heiwajima-san?" His voice, ever polite and soft-spoken, held a high note of excitement as he stared at Shizuo. "What are you talking about?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Traditional Japanese Documents - I tried as best as I could to accurately describe what the documents looked like, but I couldn't for the life of me find anything on how they were stored. All I could infer from what I could find was that records had to be stored in well ventilated areas, lest mould grow and ruin everything. That's why, for the documents scene, I added the detail that the air smelled like mould because the Kishitani's never bothered to give that part of their house any circulation
> 
> Growing Mushrooms - It basically means 'don't be too depressed'
> 
> Nansō Satomi Hakkenden - Because Waker can't make anime references(I overlooked the Naruto one because I'm a sucker for Naruto), I found a popular piece of literature from the Edo period. It was a action/fantasy book about 8 samurai brothers. I thought an action story would make a good substitute for an anime referenced
> 
> Santō Kyōden - Another Edo author who mainly wrote gay novels and also had pornographic works. Need I say more?
> 
>  
> 
> So, yeah! I'm not super happy with this chapter, but it contains vital information that I set up earlier. Also, something to remember is that Izaya has no clue that this 'sealing' happened to him. The dart was made specially for him, but it was used too early and didn't work properly. 
> 
> I'm probably going to re-edit this at some point later. I've been trying to edit this while sick, so it's not the most polished, lol. But that's about it from me. Thanks for reading!


	14. A Plan in Motion

"Mikado." Shizuo took a wary step back, feeling a cold rush of dread sap away any warmth from his previous elation. His mind scrambled for an explanation, an excuse that may be able to extinguish suspicion before it sparked, but nothing came to him. Shizuo had no clue how long Mikado was sitting outside for; how much he'd heard or how much he now knew. But regardless, there was no way he could write off his previous words. Shizuo had revealed too much; said one too many things, and now there was no way of taking it back.

 

The room had gone tense, the air stifling with tension that could be cut with a blade. Mikado, paying no mind to the strained atmosphere around him, grabbed the teacup tray and stood. He closed the door lightly behind, "Um, shall I put this down?"

 

"Yes." Shinra stepped forward and nudged Shizuo out of the way, so he was facing the boy. "That would be lovely." Shinra smiled widely at Mikado who returned the sentiment. From behind him, Shizuo shot the doctor a wary look.  _ 'This is dangerous!' _  his mind screamed.  _ 'We should be diffusing the situation, not bringing Mikado inside for fucking  _ tea _! He  _ knows _! We have to keep him quiet!' _  But Shinra was no mind reader, and he instead helped Mikado pull out the low table from the closet. "Why don't you have a seat, Mikado-kun! We can...chat!" From the corner of his eye, Shizuo spotted Kadota slowly moving to the window; not enough to be suspicious, but enough that he would be able to stop someone from going through the window should the situation arise.

 

Shizuo followed his example, making his own movements decidedly less subtle; stepping defensively toward the door and crossing his arms, the beginnings of a snarl pulling at his lips. He didn't necessarily want to scare the kid, but adrenaline was fogging his thoughts; stripping away reason and labelling Mikado as a threat of the highest order.

 

Once the tea was on the table, Mikado sat; utterly unruffled by the untrusting stares boring down at him from everyone else. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I just happened to be there," Mikado said apologetically, removing cups from the tray and placing them one by one onto the table.

 

"No worries, no worries." Shinra waved his hands flippantly, making Shizuo's eyes narrow. "What, exactly,  _ did  _ you manage to hear, if I may ask?"

 

" _ Shinra _ ," Shizuo hissed, his muscles tensing as if preparing to spring into a fight. "What the  _ hell _  are you doing?"

 

"Ma, you're making us sound suspicious!" Shinra laughed before leaning down, his words a little more threatening. "What  _ did _  you hear, Mikado-kun?"

 

"I didn't hear much if that makes you feel better, Kishitani-sensei, Heiwajima-san. I heard that you were planning on bringing someone back to the estate tomorrow night without anyone's permission, but that's all."

 

Shinra's mood brightened in an instant. He stood back up to his full height and gave Mikado a smile, clapping his hands together cheerfully. "Well, if that's all you heard, then it's not so bad!"

 

Shizuo felt something snap inside him.  _ 'Of course. Why didn't I see this coming? I should have known that all Shinra fucking cared about was if Celty's secret was safe! Of fucking course! _ '

 

"That's still a fucking problem, Shinra." Shizuo took a threatening step forward, so he was looming over the doctor's shoulder. He roughly pushed Shinra away into the direction of the door, glaring full force at the kid. "Listen here, boy, you tell me exactly what you heard come out of my mouth when you were out there, got it?" he growled, his fingers itching to grab the collar of Mikado's haori and pull him bodily out of his comfortable position on the floor. " _ Or else. _ " Shizuo relished the way Mikado's eyes went wide for a second, flashing with unease before he opened his mouth to speak.

 

" _ 'Celty, Saburo, and Kadota will wait outside to bring Izaya back to the estate, and we'll keep going from there' _ . That's all, I promise," he responded, his voice shaky but his eyes steady.

 

"Fuck," Shizuo spat, gritting his teeth. The kid knew. He  _ really _  knew. " _ Fuck _ ," Shizuo repeated, turning his head to look at Shinra. "What now?" Shinra, as unhelpful as ever, only gave him a vague shrug in response. Shizuo's mind raced with ways to keep Mikado quiet.

 

A chilling thought ran through the back of his mind, sparked from panicked desperation for Mikado to keep quiet. ' _ What if... what if there's another way to keep him quiet? Another way that would ensure that he never says anything...ever.' _  Temptation gathered at the base of his spine before he quickly buried it, relegating it to the back of his adrenaline-jumpy brain. He didn't need that image in his head right now.

 

"Of course, I won't tell anyone," Mikado continued, and Shizuo just barely heard his words.

 

"...What did you just say?"

 

"It's all so fascinating! An ancient mystery involving some of the most influential players in Ikebukuro that is only suddenly being uncovered! I couldn't just  _ tell  _ someone about it! I want to see where it goes!" Shizuo officially felt his brain fizzle out. "My grandmother used to tell me stories about the Demon Fox whenever she got the chance," he continued. "She would always tell me about the horrors and the atrocities that the Demon Fox committed; but after a while, things stopped adding up. There were so many things she couldn't explain about the Demon Fox; why did the Fox suddenly appear all those centuries ago? Why does it not attack all the time? Why is it not as evil as she says it is.

 

"I've been in that forest before, long before you came here; but I never saw a Demon Fox. But I saw a man, once-" He tilted his head slightly to meet Shizuo's eye, "-and he  _ fascinates _  me! Something is missing about the story I've been told all my life, and then you came along and started finding all the missing pieces. Why would I stop you from giving me the full story I've been waiting my whole life to hear?"

 

Shizuo felt his anger begin to subside at the genuine excitement in Mikado's tone. As far as he could tell, the kid was telling the truth. 

 

All the adrenaline that was once buzzing through his ears fell away, leaving Shizuo shaky with a bone-deep weariness dragging at his limbs. He needed to sit down and give his rattled mind a second to process everything. Everything was happening all at once, from the break of dawn to the dead of night. From the discovery of the mystery author's journal and the recovery of a scroll that was written by Shinra's late ancestor; it was all so much to take in.

 

"Oh, dear Kami-sama..." He half-stumbled backwards to a wall, sliding down it until he landed on his futon. He ducked his head between his knees, gripping roughly at his hair as his mind slowly turned over everything. "So, you  _ won't  _ tell Kuronuma-obaasan about this? Any of this?"

 

"No," Mikado reassured with a shake of his head. "She will know nothing of this conversation." If Shizuo had the energy to be relieved, he would be. "And I assume you'll need help sneaking the Fox into the estate? I assure you that I can help with that."

 

"That would actually be very helpful," Shizuo muttered.

 

"So are we doing this now?" Mikado asked, excitement once again tinging his words. But Shizuo shook his head, making Mikado's shoulders deflate a little. "Oh, of course. Whenever you need me, then." He stood and bowed to the room, who all still seemed petrified by the events that unfolded before them. Mikado picked up the tray, slid open the door, and left without another word.

 

"...Hey, Shizuo?" Kadota asked after a few minutes of heavy silence. "You ok over there?"

 

Shizuo sighed, scratching the back of his head as if it would make his mind work a little faster. His brain felt foggy, and his eyes were heavy with exhaustion. He could only muster a nod and a groan at the realization that he needed to replan everything now that Mikado was in the equation. He willed his mind to move faster, but his mind retaliated, begging for sleep.

 

Another sigh. ' _ This is going to be a long night. _ '

* * *

Izaya stared up at the endlessly dark sky, searching for the moon as if it could break through the roiling clouds that snuffed out its light. The rain from a few days prior had just begun to peter off, but it looked like the sky was ready to split open and storm a downpour over the forest. He could smell it in the air and feel the beginnings of moisture clinging damp to his fur. Izaya knew that he would not stay dry tonight. 

 

_ 'Maybe that's why Shizuo hasn't come over yet. Maybe he's been scared off by the rain, and he'll be back once it's over.' _  It was a weak excuse, but it was enough to make the ache in Izaya's chest to lessen ever so slightly.  _ 'Tch. Stupid, protozoic Shizu-chan. It's only a little rain...' _  It was only the second night where Shizuo hadn't shown up, but it was enough for Izaya's anxiety to bloom. The lingering whisper of doubt that Shizuo actually didn't care; that he knew that he wanted to know and had decided that Izaya wasn't worth his time, was growing. It made him feel restless and exhausted at the same time.  _ 'Not that it would surprise me,' _  he thought, cringing when an icy breeze hit his face.

 

Izaya curled up a little tighter, pulling Shizuo's haori closer over his shoulders as he wiggled into the furthest corner of the hollow. The heavy fabric of the haori swamped his shivering form, covering his body up to his chin as he pressed his back against the tree. His joints ached a creaked with every movement, protesting even the slightest shift of his position. Hissing through his teeth, Izaya resettled as best he could, carding his fingers through the tangled fur of his tail as a way to expel some of the nervous tension winding through his muscles.

 

He couldn't help but stare out into the empty woods; eyes strained for some imaginary figure coming toward him with the offer of warmth. But the forest was as lifeless as it always was, and the only movement he could see was the barely-there shadows cast by the foliage around him. Izaya felt like laughing at his own misery, only managing a mirthless huff before disappointment sunk its claws deeper into his chest.

 

The wind was beginning to pick up around him; the howl of it growing louder and louder in the echo chamber of the hollow. Izaya craned his ears back and pulled the haori up over his head, lifting the front of it over his nose. He squinted his eyes, so they were nearly shut; feeling them tear up and blur his vision. The chill was biting and painful as it buffeted against Izaya's thin frame, stealing away what warmth Shizuo's haori may have offered.

 

But from the corner of his bleary eyes, Izaya saw a flicker of light; growing stronger and illuminating the trees in an orange-yellow glow. For a second, he thought it was his mind playing tricks on him; mocking him for how desperate he'd become. But the light was growing brighter by the second, and Izaya could just make out a tall figure stumbling down the hill toward him. 

 

Shizuo's shoulders were hunched against the wind, protecting the lantern huddled close to his chest as he made his way closer; looking unaffected by the wind despite his touselled appearance. "Izaya," he called once he was close enough, his voice just loud enough to hear over the roaring wind.

 

"Shizu-chan." Izaya could hardly hear his own voice over the booming beat of his heart, so loud that he was sure it drowned out the oncoming storm. "You came back."

 

"What the hell are you saying? Of course, I'd come back. Now move over and let me in, it's freezing out here." Izaya forced his aching muscles to comply with him as he squished himself into the side of the hollow, giving Shizuo enough room to squeeze in beside him. As he scooched in closer, the wind began to die down, blocked by the breadth of Shizuo's back. Izaya could practically feel Shizuo's breathing fanning over his face in the close proximity of their bodies. "Fuck, it's cold out," Shizuo muttered, rubbing his hands to chase away the lingering chill. "How the hell are you comfortable?"

 

Izaya smirked at the other man, feeling a little more like himself rather than a lifeless doll when he did so. "I manage, Shizu-chan," he purred out the words with a condescending undertone, snickering wryly at Shizuo's answering scowl. It felt good to fall back into that teasing tone. It eased the tension straining their tentative friendship and made it feel like they were sitting in gorge again. "Come on, Shizu-chan. Can't you take a joke?"

 

"Oh, forgive me for not finding it  _ funny _ . As if your situation is all that funny..." Shizuo grumbled, his hand tightening around the lantern still clenched in his fist. "I'm not here for jokes, Izaya." He felt tension once again seize his body, the hairs at the back of Izaya's neck standing with unease at the darkness in Shizuo's eyes. Izaya felt a prickle of fear - an emotion he was feeling far too often, now - race down his spine.

 

Izaya felt his gaze harden. Did Shizuo finally see Izaya as the unworthy, broken spirit that he was? Was he siding with the Kuronuma's and giving Izaya a final warning to stay our of Ikebukuro? "...What?"

 

"I read over everything you gave me." Shizuo pulled out Tsukumoya's notebook, tracing the frayed edges of weathered waxpaper. He sighed heavily, "I'm sorry, Izaya."

 

"What do you have to be sorry for," Izaya choked out, feeling discomfort claw at his stomach; uncharacteristic vulnerability making his words sound strange in Izaya's ears. "Nothing was your fault."

 

"I know-" Shizuo flexed his hands in the darkness, "-but I still need to say it."

 

"No, you don't. I didn't give you that notebook for pity, Shizu-chan," he bristled, though he knew how pitiful he looked: emaciated and wrapped up in Shizuo's haori because his own ratty clothing hardly served its purpose anymore. Izaya shot out a hand to grab the book from Shizuo's grasp, pulling it close to his chest as if it were a piece of armour. "I gave this to you so you could find more, not so you would see me as a charity case."

 

"I don't pity you, Izaya," Shizuo said with the beginnings of a growl forming low in his throat.

 

"So tell me what else you found." With the same surprising restraint that Izaya had become familiar with, Shizuo reigned in the beginnings of his anger and pulled out a scroll from a pocket in his Hakama.

 

Instantly, Izaya could tell that he didn't like the roll of paper sitting innocently before his feet. It smelled...wrong, that was the best way to describe it. Beneath the heady scents of age and mould, there was an underlying stench; bitter and sour with fear. Izaya swiftly cringed away, his eyes widening in horror as the familiar fetor of decay and corruption stung his nostrils.

 

"I found this in the archives of a previous doctor." A name flashed in Izaya's head. The head doctor...

 

"Kishitani," Izaya hissed, and Shizuo nodded. Shizuo took the liberty of unravelling the long scroll, seeing as Izaya refused to touch it. The low flames of the lantern did little to illuminate the text, but with Izaya's heightened sight, he could just make out what it was saying.

 

"It basically covers everything in the journal. Corruption, experiments, everything." Shizuo gave Izaya a minute to skim over the words. "But it also talked about...you. A lot." A shiver of disgust made Izaya curl his lip in disdain. He scanned the yellowed parchment quickly until he found the blocks of text dedicated to the 'final experiment'.

 

_ "A dart?' _  A hazy memory appeared in his mind of heartwrenching emotion, compounded by a sharp, flaring pain at the base of his spine. The mere thought of the mind-whiting pain made him cringe. He carefully snaked his hand to his lower back, feeling over the bony knobs of his spine. The skin there was tender, as it always was after one of his episodes. Izaya always believed it to be some unknown injury he'd gotten during his first rampage when he'd blacked out for who knows how long. Internally, Izaya berated himself for not piecing that together sooner.

 

And then, there was the seal; meant to make him subservient to someone who wanted to control him. It bound him to Ikebukuro like an invisible noose around his neck, keeping him stuck here for both Ikebukuro and himself to suffer. 

 

Izaya had always known that Nebula saw him and every other spirit in Japan solely as a means to an end; but now, seeing it written on paper and glaring at him in the face, it made Izaya feel sick.

 

A sudden surge of rage swept through him, flushing his body hot with anger. In the past, he rarely caught glimpses of Nebula's work other than the experiments they let loose into the woods. Now, with an official document written by the man who essentially condemned him to a life of guilt; and a diseased body he could hardly control, it made feel more fury toward a human than he'd felt in a long time.

 

"Izaya." Shizuo reached out into the space between them, his fingers ghosting over Izaya's without touching him. There was concern alight in his eyes, but he didn't push it. "is it possible for you to detect other spirits?" He narrowed his eyes in confusion for a second before it hit him.

 

Since Izaya was still bound to Ikebukuro, the seal must be somewhere in the village. All they would have to do is find and destroy it. And who else to find a spiritual object than the spirit himself.

 

"No," Izaya said instantly, guessing Shizuo's plan before he said it. "That's crazy. How are you so sure that would work?" Izaya's mind was already generating a list of possibilities, coming up with dozens of liability's and 'what if's' that each sounded worse than the last. "Who's to say that bringing me back into the village won't make me go crazy again? You would be knowingly bringing a threat into Ikebukuro."

 

"But you're not a threat," Shizuo insisted with a little more vehemence than Izaya was expecting. "And the scroll said that your seal is unstable, so you build up corruption over time, then release it all at once. Your body probably hasn't started building up corruption yet, so this is the perfect time window to do this. And I have people helping me. My own friends and someone on the inside who will help you sneak in. A few of them are keeping watch at the west wall while the others and the Kuronuma kid are in the estate covering for us."

 

"You told a  _ Kuronuma _ ?" Izaya hissed, feeling panic flare in his shaking fingers.

 

"A Kuronuma who will be helping us. Add on the fact that the estate's practically empty, and we have no risk of anyone seeing us. After that, all we'd have to do is go out, find the seal, and destroy it. If the information on the scroll is correct, breaking the contract vessel, wherever it is, should unbind you from Ikebukuro and get rid of any lasting corruption in your system."

 

Izaya bit his lip and squirmed uncomfortably. He hated to admit it, but Shizuo's offer was incredibly tempting. The way Shizuo phrased his plan made it all sound incredibly simple; had simplified it so much that Izaya would seem like a fool for not accepting Shizuo's proposal. But the logical side of his mind still argued that this was a bad idea; that he was getting in over his head and it would only end badly for everyone involved. 

 

"You're making this all sound too simplistic, Shizu-chan. Who's to say this will work at all?"

 

"Me; I'm saying it will work." Izaya would have laughed if it weren't the right setting. "Don't you trust my 'beastly instincts'?" Shizuo joked, trying to relieve some of the tension building in Izaya's shoulders. After a few minutes of silence, Shizuo spoke up again. "Come on," he prodded gently. "You said it yourself, you've tried everything you could think of. What's one more try? You said you trusted me, right?" Izaya felt his face flush at the memory, thankful for the shadows casting over his face. "Well, you're gonna have to keep trusting me." 

 

Izaya closed his eyes, avoiding Shizuo's painfully pleading gaze. It was all  _ so _  tempting.

 

He had been so close to giving up just days ago; so ready to chain himself to this corner of the woods and abandon any hope of feeling better again. But now, Izaya felt that flicker of hope once again reigniting in his chest. That desire he'd been suppressing for nearly two centuries all of a sudden came back in full force, making that spark of want all the more difficult to ignore. It was a hopeless endeavour to try suppressing the pull of yearning when it had grown this strong. Shizuo was offering him hope; extending his hand to Izaya, who was still drowning in his sorrow. And how could he pass up this opportunity?

 

Silently, Izaya reached out his hand to brush against the hem of Shizuo's sleeve in surrender. Shizuo let out a gust of relief, squeezing Izaya's hand with gentle fingers before pulling away. He looked like he wanted to say a few reassuring words, but withheld them for Izaya's sake. Shizuo carefully withdrew himself from the hollow, once again allowing in the buffeting wind into the enclosed space. Izaya squinted his eyes at the sudden gust, realizing that a fine mist had begun to fall. 

 

"We should get going," Shizuo said, looking up to the sky. "I want to make it back before it starts raining again." Izaya nodded, bracing himself against the worn edge of age-smooth bark and sliding down. He gritted his teeth against the creaking protest of his joints, aggravated by the sudden movement.

 

The trek uphill was gruelling. Shizuo led the way with the lantern held close to his chest, lighting the way as best he could while Izaya used his back as a shield from the wind. Izaya was grateful that he didn't have an audience watching him struggle with each step he took, his legs buckling and muscles burning from the simple task of supporting his weight. His right leg was especially painful, sending jolts of electricity up his spine where Shizuo's sword had passed through the bone. The glaring wound had gotten better, his skin stitching itself back up cleanly, but the bloody process of ripping out the blade embedded into his flesh still made Izaya grit his teeth involuntarily.

 

After nearly tripping over loose foliage three times, Shizuo seemed to get the message and slowed his pace slightly; lowering the lantern closer to the ground, so Izaya could see better.

 

As they neared the west wall, Izaya's mind mulled over something Shizuo had said earlier. Shizuo said he had friends waiting on the outside, hadn't he? It was a detail Izaya's mind had glossed over entirely at the moment, but now it was all he could think of.

 

Shizuo might trust him now, but would his friends? All they knew about him was that he was a destructive spirit that managed to level Ikebukuro's streets in a matter of seconds and that Shizuo despised him with a passion up until a few weeks ago. They had no reason to trust Izaya to any degree, let alone help him! So, who's to say they wouldn't betray him, or let loose a few too many incriminating words to overhearing ears.

 

The rush or paranoia nearly stopped Izaya in his tracks, freezing his limbs deeper that the windchill ever could. For the first time in his life, Izaya felt scared of his humans. He felt his ears tilt back apprehensively and his tail swish widely behind him. In a brief moment of panic, Izaya almost shot out his hand to cling tightly around the fabric of Shizuo's clothes; to stop Shizuo and give himself a moment to resettle his manic heartbeat. But Izaya had no time to linger in his anxiety. 

 

Shizuo had dimmed the lantern until it was barely visible as he stopped a few ways ahead. He was standing in front of a tear in the wall, his head ducked low as he whispered,  _ "Celty," _  in a low voice. There was a shadow of movement beyond the wall, making Izaya stiffen further. His body was a wire, stretched taught and ready to spring at any moment.

 

Shizuo's voice rumbled softly for a few more words before he turned back to beckon Izaya closer. Gathering himself as best as he could, Izaya plastered on the most charismatic grin he could muster.

 

Stepping to Shizuo's side, Izaya found himself face-to-face -- or should he say face-to- _ helmet _  -- with a young woman about his height. There were a cart and a horse a little to the side of her. A man was sitting at the front, his posture stiff and uncomfortable while another man sat in the back, his gaze calculating and following Izaya's every move.

 

Instantly, Izaya could feel a familiar pull in his gut as he got closer to the woman. There was a surge of energy from within his dormant soul, signalling to Izaya that this was no ordinary woman. _  'The Dullahan, huh?' _  An icy wave shook down his spine at the other spirit's presence. It had been a long time since he's met someone like himself.

 

"Celty-"

 

_ 'So that's her name?' _

 

"-this is Izaya. Izaya, this is Celty."

 

Even without a head, Izazya could feel the Dullahan's silent gaze boring into his. From within her pocket, she produced a small scroll of paper and a charcoal pen.  _ 'Interesting.' _

 

[I don't like you,] was written in crisp letters against the yellow-white page. [Why should I trust you.]

 

"Why, because you're like me, of course." Izaya saw how Celty's shoulders stiffened at his lilting tone. "A spirit lost and far away from the rift. It's incredibly rare to see a Dullahan so far out, though. Where did you come from, if I may ask?" 

 

[Answer my question first.]

 

"Is our close kinship not enough to convince you?"

 

[We don't have  _ kinship!  _ We may both be spiritual in nature, but I'm  _ nothing _  like you.]

 

"Hm, fair enough. Why should you trust me, huh?" Izaya looked to Shizuo from the corner of his eye, who seemed as anxious as Izaya felt. "Nothing I say will convince you to trust me, so what's the point in trying?"

 

" _ Izaya _ ," Shizuo hissed. "We need them to  _ like  _ you for this to work!"

 

"No, they don't. This does not revolve around me. This is about Nebula and everything they've done to this village, intentionally or otherwise. And trust? You need time for that. Time that, frankly, I don't have." He tipped his head toward Shizuo, "But you trust him, right? We at least have that in common."

 

[You're not helping your case.]

 

"Maybe so, but what else can you do but help me? I'm physically bound to Ikebukuro, and Shizu-chan can't kill me, and believe me I've tried that." Shizuo made a face at that. "What more can be done for the village and me other than this?" Maybe Izaya didn't fully believe himself, but he was damn good at convincing others.

 

Celty squared her shoulders, her hands balling into fists looking ready to punch Izaya square in the jaw, but Shizuo stepped in before it could escalate. "He's right, Celty." He moved to put himself between the two spirits. "There's nothing left for us to try."

 

[We could _  leave him. _ ] Izaya cringed internally but kept his face passive.

 

"No, we can't. Celty, this has gone on long enough. Like he said, what else can we do that would benefit everyone? Nebula's crimes have gone on long enough; we finally have what we need to stop the suffering Izaya, and everyone in Ikebukuro has gone through."

 

Eventually, Celty's aggressive stance lessened slightly, pacified by Shizuo's interjection. Izaya nearly let out a breath of relief when a thin line of shadow, long and whiplike, wrapped loosely around his neck. The shadow had weight and force behind it, poised and ready to strike at a moments notice despite its watery, untangible appearance.

 

[You listed here, Fox. If anything,  _ anything _  happens to  _ anyone  _ while you're with us, I will not hesitate to stop you. You stay away from everyone until we know you're safe, am I clear?] The shadow curled a little closer to the line of Izaya's throat, grazing his Adam's apple lightly. 

 

Izaya grinned at her to hide the strain tensing his body. Celty's shadow cut a thin line into his neck, but this time, his skin did not heal itself. "Crystal, Dullahan-san."

 

Celty's shadows retracted, and she turned her attention to focus solely on Shizuo. [Load him into the cart. When we get near the estate, I'll cover him with my shadows. I'll have to avoid direct contact with him just in case. I don't want him infecting me, be it by accident or on purpose.]

 

Izaya barely processed Shizuo's response. He carefully touched the line at his throat, feeling the sticky seep of blood coat his fingers. His pulse fluttered loudly in his ears, making him woozy and unsteady on his feet.

 

"Izaya." The low rumble of a voice over his name brought Izaya back into awareness. Shizuo was already sitting in the carriage. Across from him was the man from before that Izaya had nearly forgotten about during his confrontation with Celty. Said spirit was sitting in the front seat next to the other quiet man, who was hissing to her in a low voice that Izaya didn't bother trying to pick out. "Come on."

 

Nodding, Izaya took Shizuo's outstretched hand and hauled himself into the cart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tada! An earlier chapter than normal! I thought my school was going on strike on Monday bu NOPE! I spent all my time writing this when I should have been doing my homework T-T.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you liked this earlier-but-shorter chapter! And, as I've stated before, we are getting into fluff, so be prepared, people!
> 
>  
> 
> Comments and Kudos are greatly appreciated! If there are any grammatical, spelling, or continuity errors, please tell me so I can fix them! Thanks!


End file.
